Cyberattack on one of Norway’s largest media companies shuts down presses

Amedia, the largest local news publisher in Norway, announced on Tuesday that several of its central computer systems were shut down in what it is calling an apparent “serious” cyberattack.

The attack is preventing the company from printing Wednesday’s edition of physical newspapers, and presses will continue to be halted until the issue is resolved, Amedia executive vice president of technology Pål Nedregotten said in a statement. The hack also impacts the company’s advertising and subscription systems, preventing advertisers from purchasing new ads and stopping subscribers from ordering or canceling subscriptions.

The company said it is unclear whether personal information has been compromised—the subscription system affected by the attack contains names, addresses, phone numbers, and subscription history of customers. Data such as passwords, read history, and financial information are not affected, the company said.

Amedia publishes more than 90 newspapers and other publications that reach more than 2.5 million Norwegians, according to the company’s website.

“We are in the process of gaining an overview of the situation, but do not yet know the full potential for damage. We have already implemented comprehensive measures to limit the damage and to restore normal operations as quickly as possible,” said Executive Vice President of Technology, Pål Nedregotten in a translated statement on the company’s website

Amedia did not immediately respond to a request for additional information.

Third attack in recent days

The attack on Amedia is the third major Norwegian cyberattack reported over the last several days. 

Nortura, one of the country’s largest food producers, announced on December 21 that it had shut down its IT systems after suffering a cyberattack at several factories. The company said it is investigating the incident with help from the police, and that it is focusing on minimizing damage to systems and operations.

On Christmas Eve, Nordland fylkeskommune (Nordland County Municipality), the regional governing administration for a large swath of northern Norway, also shut down its computer systems after experiencing a data breach. The incident affects some municipal services such as schools and clinics, but officials said disruptions were minor.