As US newspaper outages drag on, Lee Enterprises blames cyberattack for encrypting critical systems

Lee Enterprises suffers a three-week cyberattack, disrupting operations and affecting media outlets.

: Lee Enterprises faces a prolonged cyberattack, which began three weeks ago, impacting many critical business functions. The company announced that a ransomware attack encrypted systems and possibly exfiltrated data. Operations including print distribution and online services are affected, delaying publications like the Winston-Salem Journal and the Albany Democrat-Herald. A forensic analysis is underway while the financial impact and restoration efforts continue.

Lee Enterprises, a major newspaper publisher in the United States, is battling an ongoing cyberattack that has lasted for three weeks. The company identified the incident as a ransomware attack that encrypted critical applications and unlawfully accessed its network, potentially exfiltrating sensitive data.

As a result of the cyberattack, Lee's operations, including distribution of print products, online services, billing, and vendor payments, are experiencing disruptions. Several Lee-owned publications, such as the Winston-Salem Journal and Oregon-based Albany Democrat-Herald, have reported difficulties in publishing their regular editions.

Lee's customers, including subscribers, faced issues as a data center hosting key applications is down. The financial fallout from the attack is described as 'reasonably likely' to be material. As investigation and restoration continue, affected outlets remain on a watchlist maintained by the Freedom of the Press Foundation.