Amedia, Norway’s largest local news publisher, said that some of its major computer systems had been shut down because of a “serious” cyberattack.
According to Pål Nedregotten, executive vice president of IT at Amedia, the attack is stopping Amedia from printing Wednesday’s edition of physical newspapers, and presses will remain shut down until the problem is rectified. The attack also affects the company’s advertising and subscription systems, making it impossible for advertisers to buy new advertisements and subscribers to order or cancel subscriptions.
The company said it’s unclear whether the personal information has been compromised because the subscription system targeted by the hack contains customer names, addresses, phone numbers, and subscription history. Passwords, read history, and financial information are not affected. As per the company’s website, Amedia produces over 90 newspapers and other publications that reach over 2.5 million Norwegians.
“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,” stated Pål Nedregotten in a translated statement on the company’s site. A request for more information from Amedia was not promptly returned.
The attack on Amedia is the third significant cyberattack in Norway in the previous few days. Nortura, one of the country’s leading food producers, said on December 21 that its IT systems had been shut down following a cyberattack at many of its plants. The business said it is working with the police to investigate the event and is intent on minimizing damage to systems and operations.
After witnessing a data breach, Nordland fylkeskommune (Nordland County Municipality), the regional governing agency for a vast expanse of northern Norway, shut down its systems on Christmas Eve. Some municipal services, including schools and clinics, are affected by the event, although officials say the interruptions are limited.
