Guardian Newspaper Is Hit With Suspected Ransomware Attack

(Bloomberg) -- The Guardian news outlet said Wednesday it was hit with a suspected ransomware hack, leading it to tell its staff to work from home for the rest of the week.

The British daily newspaper said a “serious” IT incident began late Tuesday that has affected parts of its digital infrastructure, although it is continuing to publish news stories on its website and app. 

“We believe this to be a ransomware attack but are continuing to consider all possibilities,” Anna Bateson, the Guardian Media Group’s chief executive, said in a statement online. She said the paper expects to publish the Thursday print edition. 

Ransomware gangs typically breach or render victims’ networks inoperable, demanding a payment to free the systems. The pace and sophistication of such hackers is increasing faster than officials’ ability to keep up, the Biden administration warned in October.

The identity of the hackers behind the Guardian incident wasn’t immediately clear.