Amedia, one of the largest press media companies in Norway, announced that they have suffered a “serious” cyberattack shutting down several of their computer systems.
The attack prevented the media company from printing physical newspapers on Wednesday. According to a statement by Amedia executive vice president of technology Pål Nedregotten, the presses will remain shut down until the issue has not been resolved. The cyberattack has also impacted the company’s advertising systems as well, preventing advertisers from purchasing ads or canceling subscriptions.
Amedia published more than 90 newspapers for more than 2.5 million Norwegians, according to the company.
The company said that they are not sure whether any personal information has been compromised. However, the subscription system has also been affected by the cyberattack, and it contains information such as names, phone numbers, addresses, and purchase histories of customers. According to the company, sensitive data such as passwords and financial information is not affected.
“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.
The attack on Amedia is the third major cyberattack on Norwegian companies reported over the last few days.
On December 21, Nortura, one of the largest food producers in Norway, suffered from a cyberattack on several factories, shutting down their systems. The company said that it was working with the local police to minimize the risk.
On Christmas Eve, Norway’s municipal company, Nordland fylkeskommune (Nordland County Municipality) also suffered from a cyberattack and had to shut down its systems after the data breach took place. The attack affected services at several schools, clinics, but the disruption was minor.
