A cyberattack targeted the IT infrastructure of Fürth’s municipal drainage authority (StEF) on the evening of Friday, December 5. The city announced on Monday, December 8, that while the attack was serious, there was no immediate risk to the public. Thanks to the swift response from the city’s IT team and external police specialists, services for residents were not disrupted, and all data was secured or successfully restored.
However, the city warns that the incident is not entirely resolved. Officials cannot rule out the possibility that “some data files were viewed or copied.” As a precaution, they are urgently advising residents to be wary of suspicious emails. Fürth emphasizes that invoices are never sent by email—only by postal mail. Anyone who receives unexpected messages requesting “payments, data, or attachments on behalf of the city of Fürth” should ignore them and avoid responding.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation. Plant managers Christine Lippert and Herbert Belian stated, “We will continue to provide transparent updates and are consistently working to further strengthen our security standards.”
