Articles by Stefan Nicola

German Superyacht Maker Lürssen Hit by Ransomware Cyber Attack

German shipbuilder Lürssen, which makes military vessels as well as luxury yachts, has become the target of a ransomware cyberattack. The Bremen-based company was attacked over the Easter holiday period, company spokesman Oliver Grün said Tuesday. “In coordination with internal …

Germany Reels from Flood ‘Catastrophe’; Insurers Expect Costly Claims for 2021

Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged swift help backed by “all the power of the state” for people affected by devastating flooding in western Germany, where at least 42 people have died and dozens are missing. Following heavy rain Wednesday night into …

Germany’s Green Vault Museum Finds It’s Uninsured for $1 Billion Theft of Jewels

A day after burglars made off with priceless jewels from a German museum, pressure is growing on police to find the culprits. One big reason: The diamond-encrusted dagger, pearl necklace, and dozens of other glittering artifacts—estimated to be worth more …

Allianz-Backed Fintech Startup N26 Raises New Funds for Push into U.S.

N26 GmbH, the German banking app that’s backed by billionaires Peter Thiel and Li Ka-shing, has raised new funds at a valuation of $2.7 billion, making the company one of Europe’s most valuable non-listed fintech startups. N26 received $300 million …

Carmakers, Ride-Hail Firms Stress Digital Even As Vehicle Cyber Risks Worsen

Hopping into an Uber or a Car2Go is a great way to get around. Unfortunately, hackers agree, exploiting weaknesses in apps to go on “phantom rides” with someone else’s profile. From such trips—like a man in Australia who went on …

China’s Ping An Invests $47M in German Fintech Incubator Finleap

Ping An Insurance Group Co., China’s biggest insurer by market value, led investors in injecting 41.5 million euros ($47 million) into Germany’s Finleap GmbH in its latest round of funding. The Chinese behemoth’s $1 billion-Global Voyager Fund led the investment …

Flying Cars Soon to Be Tested in Germany

Germany, land of the no-holds-barred Autobahn, is pushing the next level of transportation: flying cars. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government signed a letter of intent with executives from Volkswagen’s Audi unit and plane maker Airbus SE to test air taxis in …

WPP’s CEO Provides Insights from His Advertising Firm’s Cyber Attack

Top executives rarely spill the beans in public when their companies are hacked. WPP Plc’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Sorrell, at a Bloomberg event Wednesday in Davos, provided extensive insight into the cyber attack targeting the London-based advertising company in …

Can Your ‘Smart’ Appliances Be Trusted with Your Personal Data? Probably Not…

Your fridge is getting so smart, security-software maker Kaspersky Lab thinks you probably shouldn’t trust it. As makers of household appliances fill their machines with computer chips to make them smarter, consumers and privacy watchdogs should beware the data collected …

Allianz Teams with Volkswagen, Bayer and BASF in Anti-Hacking Venture

The German car giant that gave the world the Beetle may soon help you fend off cyber criminals. Volkswagen AG teamed with insurer Allianz SE, medical company Bayer AG and chemicals producer BASF SE to sell information-technology security services to …