The Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) have become the target of a “massive cyber attack”, which is why internet connections were cut, among other things. This was announced by the general manager of the IHK Mittleres Ruhrgebiet, Michael Bergmann, on Linkedin. As a result of the countermeasures, contact via telephone and e-mail is not possible at the moment.
The “serious IT security incident” therefore already occurred yesterday, Wednesday. The websites of the individual chambers are currently unavailable, and digital services are not available, adds Bergmann. But you can still be reached on site.
Cyber attack against IHK systems
What exactly happened is still unclear. Several other Chambers of Commerce and Industry have acknowledged technical issues on Twitter. There is no discernible regional focus, chambers are affected In North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower SaxonyMecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria. It is said from Mainfrankenthat the cyber attack was directed against the IHK network, many IT systems are only partially accessible as a result. It may be a DDoS attack in which offers on the Internet are flooded with access requests.
Cross-industry companies from one region are organized in chambers of industry and commerce. They are required by law to be members. The chambers assume self-government tasks and represent the members in dealings with local authorities, state governments and state agencies. In Germany, around four million companies are members of one or more of the 79 chambers of industry and commerce.
