Skip to main content

Malware attack cripples newspapers across United States

A malware attack disrupted the production and delivery of newspapers across the United States over the weekend, affecting the Saturday editions of the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union Tribune, among others.

Tribune Publishing detected malware on its servers on Friday, sending technology teams scrambling to contain the attack. However, it spread through the company’s network, crippling the news production and printing process for the multiple newspapers that shared Tribune’s platform.

Recommended Videos

The Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union Tribune, which Tribune formerly owned, experienced distribution delays for their Saturday editions. The two newspapers were sold to Los Angeles biotech entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong last June, but they still share several systems, including software.

The Los Angeles Times said that most of its subscribers were still able to receive their Saturday newspapers, though they were late by several hours. Meanwhile, for the San Diego Union Tribune, 85 percent to 90 percent of its Saturday edition was not delivered to subscribers on Saturday morning.

The distribution of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal were also delayed in Southern California, as they are printed at the Los Angeles Times’ printing plant. The Baltimore Sun, meanwhile, released its Saturday edition without the usual comics and puzzles.

The malware attack did not compromise the credit card information or other personal data of customers, according to Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn.

The purpose of the malware attack remains unclear, though a source familiar with the situation revealed that it appears that the intention was to disable servers, not to steal data, the Los Angeles Times reported. The malware attack may have come from outside the United States, according to the same source, without detailing the evidence that resulted in the allegation.

The threat of malware remains constant. Last month, a study by cybersecurity researchers discovered that Russian hackers are targeting email accounts in the United States and Europe with a new kind of phishing malware. Earlier in December, a report suggested that over 415,000 routers around the world may be affected by malware to enable cryptojacking, which is a scheme where hackers steal the computing power of connected PCs to mine for cryptocurrency.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received an NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was four years old, and he has been fascinated…
The next Snapdragon X chip will be even more powerful than we thought
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus

As part of Qualcomm's latest Investor Day, the company confirmed that its next PC chip, the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, will use the Oryon v3 CPU. This comes as a surprise to many, as the Oryon v2 was just announced last month alongside plans to use it with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for smartphones.

Since the current Snapdragon X Elite chip uses an Oryon v1 CPU, many assumed that the 2nd-gen chip would use the 2nd-gen CPU -- but it seems the PC chips will be skipping over this generation entirely.

Read more
The Windows 11 24H2 update is causing even more problems
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

The Windows 11 24H2 update had already been giving users a real headache with problems such as bugs for visual layouts and flaws for certain wallpaper apps. And now, as Microsoft confirms in a support document, some people without administrative privileges can't change the time zone in the Date & Time view, among myriad other issues related to the important Windows 11 update.

A Feedback Hub post also reports a time issue after exiting Sleep Mode, specifically after about one out of every five overnight sleep cycles. There is also a report that the time is not syncing correctly following daylight saving time. Put differently, the update doesn't break the time zone, but only affects the toggle or makes it very difficult to modify it.

Read more
The 10 best monitors for 2024: tested and reviewed
OLED demo on the Asus ROG PG27AQDM.

Editor’s note: You should expect to see tons of great monitor deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year. It's pretty much a guarantee that you'll find something that suits your needs at a discounted price, so long as you keep an eye out and pay close attention to what you're buying. Whether you're looking for a killer gaming monitor deal, a high-end 5K monitor deal, or even an OLED monitor deal, or something more on the budget side, we've got your covered. Make sure to check out our other Black Friday deals for even more bargains on TV, headphones, and more.

For those seeking a superior computer setup, a cutting-edge monitor is non-negotiable. As we move into 2024, the monitor market offers a wide range of options tailored to various needs, from immersive gaming displays to high-resolution panels for creative professionals. Whether you're looking for top-tier gaming performance with fast refresh rates, crisp visuals for productivity, or a versatile all-rounder, this year’s monitors bring cutting-edge features like OLED panels, high refresh rates, and enhanced connectivity. In this guide, we'll explore the best monitors you can buy in 2024, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your setup.

Read more