Cyberattack on Welthungerhilfe - Report

Susanne Fotiadis

Member of the Executive Management, Welthungerhilfe

We would like to inform you proactively and with maximum transparency about a security incident affecting Welthungerhilfe. Most likely you have read in the news about the increasing number of highly professional and precisely executed cyberattacks targeting companies, public institutions, and organizations.

Despite our high security standards, a criminal cyberattack—meaning unauthorized access—was carried out on our IT systems. Our IT team detected the incident immediately and initiated comprehensive countermeasures. Since then, we have been working intensively to assess the damage and analyze which data may be affected. We are cooperating closely with the relevant authorities and external IT experts who specialize in such cases.

What has been done so far?

• The attack was quickly identified and contained.
• The relevant data protection and security authorities were informed.
• A comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the full scope of the incident. At this time, we cannot yet confirm which systems are affected or which data may have been accessed.

What does this mean for you?

At this point, there is no indication that any personal data of our supporters has been compromised. Nevertheless, we take this incident very seriously and want to inform you as early as possible.

What are we doing now?

• Our IT security measures have been further reinforced.
• As soon as we have confirmed information regarding any potentially affected data, we will notify you immediately.
• Regular updates and answers to frequently asked questions will be provided on this page.

What does this mean for Welthungerhilfe’s project work?

Our work in project countries continues without interruption. We remain committed to supporting the people who rely on our help. Given the numerous humanitarian crises around the world, our work is more important than ever.

We deeply regret this incident and assure you that the protection of your data has utmost priority. Please note that due to the necessary shutdown of some IT systems, email communication is currently limited. We ask for your understanding if we are not able to respond to inquiries as quickly as usual.