Prints of US newspapers shut down by malware attack

A number of major American newspapers did not reach subscribers as planned on Saturday due to a major computer malfunction, which appears to be caused by malware. These include the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune.

The newspapers are all printed by the same publisher, Tribune Publishing. Initially it appeared to be a computer malfunction on the publisher’s servers, but on Saturday it turned out that it was in fact a malware attack, reports the Los Angeles Times, one of the affected newspapers. Due to the server shutdown, newspapers could not be printed and subsequently delivered to subscribers.

In a message, the Los Angeles Times indicates that most subscribers have yet to receive their newspaper on Saturday. The remaining subscribers will receive the Saturday edition of the newspaper on Sunday. As a result, the problems do not appear to have had long-lasting consequences.

It is not yet known who set up the attack, but American authorities suspect that the attackers are outside the United States. Forbes believes it is the Ryuk malware, which North Korean hackers are believed to be exploiting for hacking purposes. No further personal data was allegedly stolen in the attack, but an investigation into the malware attack is still ongoing.

Tribune Publishing owns many regional newspapers in the United States, including the Chicago Tribune. The company also long owned the Los Angeles Times, but sold that newspaper earlier this year.