The Old Masters Gallery of the Dresden State Art Collections. Image: Wikimedia Commons / ShiDD / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Dresden State Art Collections in Germany, recognized as one of Europe’s oldest museum networks, recently experienced a targeted cyberattack. This incident has significantly disrupted much of its digital infrastructure, as confirmed by the state of Saxony’s culture ministry this week.
Discovered on Wednesday, the attack has resulted in limited digital and phone services for the museum group. Currently, online ticket sales, visitor services, and the museum shop are non-operational. Payments at museum locations are restricted to cash only. However, tickets bought online prior to the cyberattack are still valid and can be scanned upon arrival.
Despite these disruptions, the museums continue to welcome visitors. The culture ministry assured that the security systems safeguarding the collections were unaffected, confirming that both physical and technical security measures remain fully intact.
The Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) has indicated that the timeline for a full restoration of all impacted systems is uncertain. Local media reports, citing an SKD spokesperson, confirmed that the institution was still operating under restrictions as of Friday, with no new information available regarding the incident.
Authorities have not disclosed the perpetrators of the attack or their potential motives. Furthermore, it remains unknown if the incident involved a ransom demand or if any discussions are taking place with the attackers.
The Dresden State Art Collections encompasses approximately 15 museums, featuring significant works by artists like Raphael and Rembrandt. It also includes the renowned Green Vault, celebrated as one of Europe’s most opulent treasure chambers, famous for its royal jewels and intricate goldwork.
In recent years, cultural institutions have increasingly attracted the attention of cybercriminals. For instance, Canada’s national art museum spent several weeks in 2023 recovering systems following a ransomware attack. Similarly, in 2022, the Metropolitan Opera in New York experienced a cyberattack that impacted its ticketing and box office operations during the peak holiday period.
Libraries have also become targets for hackers, leading U.S. officials to initiate a program designed to assist these institutions in defending against cyberattacks. In 2023, a ransomware attack severely disrupted the systems of the British Library, one of the world’s largest and the national library of the United Kingdom. Additionally, Canada’s Toronto Public Library underwent months of recovery after a ransomware attack, which it characterized as a “crime scene.”
