Ransomware and Cyberattacks Hit German Firms, Including Alleged DragonForce Data Theft
A series of cyber incidents affected German organizations, including an alleged DragonForce ransomware data theft from insurer HanseMerkur. DragonForce claimed to have stolen nearly 97 GB of internal corporate data and leaked materials described as including financial documents (e.g., invoices, tax notes, vouchers) and documents referencing HanseMerkur’s UAE partner Emirates Insurance; HanseMerkur had not publicly confirmed the claim at the time of reporting. Reporting also noted DragonForce’s broader activity and claimed partnerships in the ransomware ecosystem.
Separately, the Buhlmann Group was named by the Akira ransomware group, which claimed theft of 55 GB of sensitive data and threatened publication; Buhlmann indicated a US subsidiary was impacted and stated German/EU entities and their systems were not affected. In another incident, beverage bottler Romina Mineralbrunnen reported a cyberattack that left it unreachable by phone/email and caused a production stoppage; authorities were reported to be investigating, with no confirmed details yet on initial access, malware type, or data theft.
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How this story unfolded
5 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
DragonForce claims breach of HanseMerkur and data leak
Reports said the DragonForce ransomware gang allegedly stole and leaked nearly 97 GB of internal corporate data from German insurer HanseMerkur, including financial documents and files referencing partner Emirates Insurance. HanseMerkur had not publicly acknowledged the claim at the time of reporting.
Buhlmann says only U.S. subsidiary systems were affected
A Buhlmann Group spokesperson said the impacted IT system was used only in the United States and that the German headquarters and other group entities, especially in Germany and the EU, were not affected. The company said no data outside the U.S. location was at risk.
Akira claims ransomware attack on Buhlmann Group
The Akira ransomware group posted on the darknet that it had stolen sensitive information from the Buhlmann Group and threatened to publish 55 GB of allegedly exfiltrated data. The claim indicated a ransomware incident affecting the steel trader.
Police begin investigating attack on Romina Mineralbrunnen
Police in Reutlingen were reported to be investigating the cyberattack against Romina Mineralbrunnen. The investigation was disclosed in media reporting after the company's production outage became public.
Romina Mineralbrunnen hit by cyberattack, production halted
Beverage bottler Romina Mineralbrunnen GmbH in Reutlingen-Rommelsbach was struck by a cyberattack that brought its production facilities to a standstill. The company said it was unreachable by phone and email following the incident, while it remained unclear whether any data had been stolen.
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Sources
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DragonForce purports breach of leading German insurer | SC Media
scworld.com
Open sourceRansomware-Attacke auf Buhlmann Group | CSO Online
csoonline.com
Open sourceHackerangriff auf Romina Mineralbrunnen | CSO Online
csoonline.com
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DragonForce Ransomware Operations and High-Profile Breaches
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DragonForce affiliates intensify UK ransomware campaign using edge-device exploits
DragonForce affiliates sustained a broad ransomware and extortion campaign against UK organizations in May 2026, publicly naming seven UK victims on the group’s Tor leak site and posting 22 victims globally in a single day, including four UK firms. Reported victims spanned professional services, finance, logistics, construction, technology, and luxury retail, underscoring the group’s opportunistic targeting rather than a focus on one vertical. Helix International drew particular concern because of its role as a managed service provider with medium, large, and Fortune 500 clients, raising the risk of downstream compromise across customer environments. Public reporting and curated intrusion data tie DragonForce activity to exploitation of exposed remote access and internet-facing systems, including Ivanti Connect Secure, FortiOS, FortiProxy, SonicOS SSL-VPN, Apache Log4j, Microsoft SmartScreen, and SimpleHelp RMM vulnerabilities. Tooling observed in DragonForce-linked intrusions includes utilities for discovery, remote management, credential theft, defense evasion, LOLBAS abuse, and exfiltration, while affiliates have also been linked to **BYOVD** techniques to disable or bypass EDR and antivirus protections. Prior reporting further connected DragonForce affiliates attributed to **Scattered Spider** to attacks on major UK retailers including **M&S, Co-op, and Harrods**.
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DragonForce Ransomware Expands RaaS Operations With Dual-Extortion and a “Cartel” Affiliate Model
**DragonForce**, a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation that emerged in 2023, has been linked to a growing set of intrusions targeting “critical business” environments across multiple industries, with a focus on **manufacturing, business services, technology, and construction**. Reporting attributes the group with **dual-extortion** tactics—stealing data prior to encryption and then threatening publication on a **data leak site (DLS)** to increase pressure on victims. Researchers also describe DragonForce as operationally adaptable, including changes in how it hosts and organizes leaked victim data. LevelBlue analysis cited in reporting indicates DragonForce has evolved its business approach beyond a typical affiliate program into a **“cartel” model**, allowing member groups to operate under their own brands while leveraging shared DragonForce infrastructure and services. Described offerings to affiliates include large-scale storage, continuous server monitoring, support services around file analysis/decryption, and assistance with test attacks; LevelBlue also highlighted an “**Company Data Audit**” service intended to help affiliates value stolen data and shape negotiation pressure (including prepared communications such as scripts and executive-facing letters). The group’s tooling is described as **multi-platform**, with the ability to target **Windows, Linux, ESXi, BSD, and NAS** systems and to use different encryption modes (e.g., full, header, partial), increasing potential impact across enterprise and virtualized environments.
Mar 21, 2026