Lee Enterprises Cyberattack Disrupts Newspaper Operations, Investigation Ongoing

Lee Enterprises, a major U.S. newspaper publisher with 72 markets, has reported a cyberattack to the SEC after an outage impacted its operations.

The publicly traded company, which owns publications such as The Buffalo News, Omaha World-Herald, and Richmond Times-Dispatch, is still assessing the scope and consequences of the breach. While no material impact has been confirmed yet, the investigation remains ongoing.

“These types of investigations are complex and time-consuming, often taking several weeks or longer,” a Lee Enterprises spokesperson stated, adding that law enforcement has been notified.

Details about the attack’s nature, the perpetrators, or potential data theft remain unclear. However, reports from Lee’s newsrooms suggest that the company shut down networks, leading to printing and delivery delays.

Cybersecurity expert Erich Kron of KnowBe4 speculates that the incident bears the hallmarks of a ransomware attack, noting that ransomware groups frequently target time-sensitive industries like media.

Currently, multiple Lee Enterprises publication websites display notices informing users of service disruptions affecting subscription accounts and e-editions, apologizing for the inconvenience as they work to restore operations.