ZCZC
BFF-21
US-INTERNET-MEDIA-CYBERATTACK
Cyber-attack hits US newspaper deliveries: report
LOS ANGELES, Dec 30, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A malware attack that appears to
have originated outside the US delayed the hardcopy distribution of several
major newspapers, according to a report.
The LA Times said Saturday that the attack, which was first assumed to
have been a server outage, hit a computer network at Tribune Publishing which
is connected to the production and printing process of multiple newspapers
around the country.
As a result, the delivery of the Saturday editions of the LA Times and San
Diego Union Tribune were delayed.
It also hit the distribution of the West Coast editions of the New York
Times and Wall Street Journal, which are printed at the LA Times’ printing
plant.
The report said it could not provide firm numbers on how many subscribers
were impacted but a majority of LA Times customers received their papers
Saturday morning, albeit several hours late.
“We believe the intention of the attack was to disable infrastructure,
more specifically servers, as opposed to looking to steal information,” the
LA Times quoted a source with knowledge of the situation as saying.
The paper cited officials as saying it was too soon to know whether it was
carried out by state or non-state actors.
“We are aware of reports of a potential cyber incident effecting several
news outlets, and are working with our government and industry partners to
better understand the situation,” the Department of Homeland Security said in
a statement.
BSS/AFP/FI/1624 hrs