Árvakur, the publisher of Morgunblaðið, experienced a severe cyberattack that compromised a significant amount of data. The attack led to the news website mbl.is being offline from around 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., during which time the site was restored. Additionally, the editorial system of Morgunblaðið and the broadcasts of the radio station K100 were also disrupted.
Director of IT Úlfar Ragnarsson revealed that all of Árvakur’s computer systems had their data encrypted, including both backups and daily operational data. The attack, attributed to the Russian group Akira, has been linked to similar incidents involving Reykjavík University and Brimborg. The full extent of how the attackers infiltrated the systems remains unclear, but the attack appears to have been developing over several days before becoming apparent.
News Director Hólmfríður María Ragnhildardóttir noticed issues with the computer system around noon and soon learned of the cyberattack. Systems were shut down as a precaution, leading to a chaotic response as staff scrambled to address the situation. Despite the crisis, journalists continued to work on their projects offline to ensure readiness for the Monday paper.
The incident has created significant uncertainty and disruption at Árvakur, with staff working tirelessly to manage the aftermath and resume normal operations. The severity of the situation highlights the challenges faced in recovering from such extensive cyberattacks and underscores the resourcefulness of the attacking group.
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