International Paper’s Riegelwood Mill faced a significant setback as it became the target of a cyberattack on its operating systems late last week. Kimberly Clewis, the spokesperson for International Paper, confirmed the incident and assured that, fortunately, there were no injuries or environmental issues. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the company promptly activated its response and containment plans, including notifying relevant authorities. The decision to initiate an orderly shutdown of the mill was made out of caution, with the company now actively working to restart operations.
According to Clewis, the attacker gained access through a third-party vendor, emphasizing that the cyberattack was not a direct targeting of International Paper or the Riegelwood Mill. The impact was limited to a specific set of manufacturing systems at the Riegelwood Mill, and there is no indication of any sensitive, proprietary, personnel, or business data being breached. Clewis reassured that no other mills, locations, or systems within International Paper were affected. The company remains vigilant in resolving the issue and restarting operations while maintaining transparency about the incident.
