crime
Cyber attack on IHK: still restrictions
Hackers have attacked the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in Germany. photo
© Bernd Wüstneck/zb/dpa
Hackers attacked the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in Germany just over a month ago. The consequences can still be felt.
A good month after the cyber attack on the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in Germany, there are still restrictions there. It will be a few more weeks before all chambers of industry and commerce across Germany can work fully again,” said their IT service provider IHK-GfI on Thursday.
However, essential services would be made available again at short notice or were already available: the websites of most IHKs are now online again and 47 of the 79 chambers of industry and commerce (as of September 6th) can be reached again by email. The essential internal applications are also available.
The attack discovered on August 3rd was averted by disconnecting all IHKs from the Internet, but the software applications and IT systems of the IHK would only be started up step by step after intensive testing, explained the IHK-GfI. The reason is the fear of further attacks.
“According to the findings of the IT forensic experts and the Federal Office for Information Security, extremely professional hackers are behind the cyber attack,” says the IHK-GfI report. The attack had been prepared well in advance. The hackers’ approach indicates espionage or sabotage as the purpose. A financial motive cannot yet be ruled out.