Few clues as newspapers hit the news

The origins of a suspected computer attack that disrupted the Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing newspapers remained unclear yesterday after causing delivery delays and being brought to the attention of federal investigators.

San Diego Union-Tribune publisher Jeff Light said in a message posted to the newspaper’s website that the incident “seems to have been a malicious attack on the company by computer hackers”.

He told readers that the disruption had mostly seemed to have been brought under control.

The suspected attack prevented the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun and other papers from publishing paid death notices and classified ads on Sunday. But Tribune Publishing has said no news websites were affected and no customer information was compromised.

Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency was “aware of reports of a potential cyber incident” affecting several news outlets. She said the department was “working with our government and industry partners to better understand the situation.”

The Los Angeles Times, citing “several individuals with knowledge of the Tribune situation”, reported that the attack appeared to be in the form of “Ryuk” ransomware.

An advisory by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ cybersecurity programme described “Ryuk” attacks as “highly-targeted, well-resourced and planned.”