The Washington Post targeted by cyberattack, email of select journalists hacked

The Washington Post

The Washington Post has confirmed a possible cyberattack targeting the email accounts of a limited number of its journalists, raising concerns once again about the vulnerability of newsrooms to digital intrusions. The attempted breach was first discovered last Thursday, prompting a swift internal response that included resetting login credentials for all employees by Friday.

The breach was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and adds to a growing list of cyber threats faced by media outlets globally.

Matt Murray, executive editor, The Washington Post, addressed staff in a memo on Sunday, stating that the intrusion appeared to be “targeted” and limited in scope. “Although our investigation is ongoing, we believe the incident affected a limited number of Post journalists’ accounts, and we have contacted those whose accounts have been impacted,” he wrote.

Crucially, the intrusion appears to have been contained. “We do not believe this unauthorised intrusion impacted any additional Post systems or has had any impact for our customers,” Murray added.

The identity of the hackers remains unknown. A Washington Post spokesperson declined to speculate on who might be behind the attack. However, such intrusions are not uncommon for high-profile media organisations. Journalists, especially those covering sensitive topics like politics, international affairs, or national security, are often targets of cyberattacks—whether by state-sponsored actors seeking to monitor reporting or by cybercriminals hoping to extort organisations or sell access.

The Post’s internal investigation is ongoing, and further updates are expected as the situation develops.