Berlin, August 19, 2026 — The Europe Today: Berlin authorities have disconnected two Senate departments from the city’s state network after a cyberattack was detected during a forensic examination of their information technology systems.
The affected departments are the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing, and the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Environment and Climate Protection. Both departments have been isolated from the state network since Friday as a precautionary measure.
The Berlin Senate Chancellery said a forensic investigation had confirmed that the state network had been compromised. Authorities have so far not disclosed who was behind the attack, how the perpetrators gained access or whether any data was stolen. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The two departments remain operational, but their employees have been cut off from regular IT systems, including email and external internet access. As a result, staff have been relying on alternative means of communication, including telephone, text messages and fax.
The incident has also affected some public services. According to local reports, applications for housing benefits and education and participation assistance cannot currently be processed at some district offices because they depend on systems operated by the affected urban development department.
A crisis team has been established under the leadership of Berlin’s State Commissioner for Information Security to coordinate the response and investigation. The State Criminal Police Office, Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Office for Information Security have also been involved in the probe.
Officials have not yet provided a timetable for restoring the affected departments’ full connection to the state network. The Senate Chancellery said further details concerning the scope and background of the incident could not be disclosed at this stage for investigative reasons.
