Hacker attack on Arcona: Hotels in Rostock and Rügen affected!

Hacker attack on Arcona: Hotels in Rostock and Rügen affected!

The Hotel Group Arcona has made a serious hacker attack public, which has affected several of its facilities. Three hotels are affected, including the VJU and Koopmanns on Rügen and the Hotel Elephant in Weimar, as well as the central administration in Rostock. This incident was held on May 23, 2025 when the criminal cyber group Akira entered the systems. Experts from the IT security company Responsee have now examined the incident to clarify the exact circumstances.

The causes of the attack are worrying, because the attackers were able to act unhindered due to incorrect network separation between the company locations. However, it remains unclear how exactly Akira could penetrate the systems. According to the State Criminal Police Office, this attack is analyzed as part of a major threat in the digital space.

Akira: A growing threat

Akira has been active in the Darknet since 2023 and has quickly made a name for itself by using blackmail software to put companies under pressure. In the case of Arcona, it was reported that data was stolen; However, the exact type of this data is still unknown. Akira has a closeness to Russia and is considered one of the five most dangerous hacker groups worldwide, with over 60 successful attacks on small and medium-sized companies.

goals of such attacks are not only financial data, but also critical information that is of great value in today's digital world. Arcona boss Alexander Winter expressed his regret about this incident and the possible extent of the data drainage. The threat of cyber attacks has now established itself as the greatest danger for companies in Germany, as the Allianz Risk Barometer 2025 states.

cyber attacks: an increase in the threat

cybercriminals, such as the Akira group, often act similar to companies and use a business model called Ransom as a Service (RAAS). This means that you specialize in data protection and the systems of companies in order to blackmail considerable sums through targeted attacks. According to reports, the required ransom could go to hundreds of thousands for the attack on Arcona, although there is no official information in this regard.

The challenges for companies like Arcona to prepare themselves against such attacks are enormous. Security teams are fighting to protect their IT systems because attackers often only have to take advantage of a weak point. The introduction of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the implementation of effective security strategies are crucial to prevent such incidents. In addition, training of security awareness within the workforce is required, since human errors often lead to security breaches.

Although Arcona and other companies are currently taking measures to limit damage, the question remains open how the dangers in the cyber area can be contained in the long term. Time will show how the situation develops and what other measures have to be taken to regain trust in digital business processes.

The current developments underline urgency to invest in cyber security, especially at a time when cyber incidents are the greatest threat to companies.