BREAKING: Cyber-attack disrupts distribution of multiple US newspapers

December 30, 2018 9H:118 GMT/UTC/ZULU TIME by Tamara Kachelmeier and Biodun Iginla, BBC News Technology reporters, New York Several US newspapers suffered major printing and delivery disruptions on Saturday following a cyber-attack, US media report. The attack led to delayed distribution of The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other titles belonging to Tribune Publishing. The company said it first detected the malware on Friday, which hit papers sharing the same printing plant. The attack is believed to have come from outside the US, the LA Times said. West Coast editions of the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, which share the same production platform in Los Angeles, were also affected. "We believe the intention of the attack was to disable infrastructure, more specifically servers, as opposed to looking to steal information," an anonymous source with knowledge of the attack told the LA Times. US warns of supply chain cyber-attacks US news sites still blocked in Europe Disney v the LA Times: What's the story? Tribune Publishing spokeswoman Marisa Kollias confirmed this in a statement, saying the virus hurt back-office systems used to publish and produce "newspapers across our properties". "Every market across the company was impacted," Ms Kollias said, refusing to give more specifications on the disruptions, according to the LA Times. Other publications owned by the company include the New York Daily News, Orlando Sentinel and the Annapolis Capital-Gazette, whose staff were the targets of a deadly shooting earlier this year. Another publication, the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel was also "crippled this weekend by a computer virus that shut down production and hampered phone lines," according to a story on its website. "We are aware of reports of a potential cyber incident affecting several news outlets and are working with our government and industry partners to better understand the situation," a Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement. Investigators at the Federal Bureau of Investigations were not immediately available for comment. Related Topics MediaUnited StatesPublishing Share this story About sharing Email Facebook Messenger Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn More on this story US warns of supply chain cyber-attacks 26 July 2018 Capital Gazette shooting: Staff publish Friday edition 29 June 2018 Video Maryland shooting: How deadly newspaper attack unfolded 28 June 2018 European readers still blocked from some US news sites 26 June 2018 Disney v the LA Times: What's the story? 8 November 2017 Robot writes LA Times earthquake breaking news article 18 March 2014 US & Canada Conservative writer Payton dies at 26 29 December 2018 From the section US & Canada Full article Conservative writer Payton dies at 26 Jewish sect accused of New York kidnap 29 December 2018 From the section US & Canada Full article Jewish sect accused of New York kidnap Trump touts progress in China ties 29 December 2018 From the section US & Canada Full article Trump touts progress in China ties More Videos from the BBC The myth of a Bond girl's death 'My beautiful Gaza' Starlings form bird-shaped murmuration ‘Losing 18st left me uncomfortable in my own skin’ Christmas grief for missing teen's family Changing the perception of beauty Recommended by Outbrain Elsewhere on BBC BBC Culture Cultural Calendar BBC News Argentine woman abducted in 1980s freed