The German media group that owns the influential daily Süddeutsche Zeitung fell victim to a hacker attack, it said on Tuesday, reported dpa.
According to a statement by Südwestdeutsche Medienholding (SWMH), unauthorized individuals briefly accessed the group's internal network in what was described as a "critical IT security incident."
The company, which owns a chain of newspapers, said it is working closely with security authorities in response.
Online and operations unaffected
The attack has been stymied, a spokesperson said, while alternative workflows have been implemented to maintain operations.
The breach affected all companies connected via the publisher's network, including the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspapers.
Despite the attack, online reporting and newspaper production continued without disruption.
"All newspapers are appearing as usual," the spokesperson said.
Incident discovered in mid-July
The first signs of unusual activity were detected during the weekend of July 12–13. By Monday, July 14, SWMH had implemented extensive security measures to contain the incident.
The attack has been reported to the police cybercrime unit and external IT security experts have been brought in to investigate.
The group said it is cooperating closely with law enforcement and data protection authorities in an effort to identify those responsible and bolster its defences.
SWMH is one of Germany’s largest newspaper publishers, employing around 4,500 people.
- Cyber attack
- Germany
- Newspaper
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
