It seems that threat actors are more active, and it may have something to do with the upcoming Democratic mayoral primary. While it's still unclear why the breach was even conducted, it's easy to suspect that it may have something to do with politics.
Philadelphia Inquirer Breach
The cyberattack may have begun on May 11th, when security firm Cynet detected suspicious activity and alerted the publication. Soon enough, the company's employees were no longer able to enter its content management system.
Lisa Hughes, a publisher from the Philadelphia Inquirer, did not disclose which of the publication's systems were affected, which means that it is still unclear whether the hacker accessed private or sensitive information in the attack.
The breach might have something to do with the fact that the Inquirer's internal systems don't have multi-factor authentication, making it easier for hackers to access. Regardless, it already hired a security company called Kroll to investigate the attack.
The publication has also informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation about the incident. The agency stated that it was customary for them to offer their assistance in the matter, as mentioned in Engadget, which could help hasten the investigation along.
Since it is just a week before the mayoral race, there is reason to believe that the cyberattack was politically-motivated, although authorities and security experts still cannot say for sure until the investigation is complete.
Since it is the election period, the publication will need to work on the paper, and so the Philadelphia Inquirer will be looking for an alternative space for employees to work on covering the subject and avoid any more disruptions.
As reported, this is the first major cancellation of the newspaper in almost three decades. Back in 1996, the publication had to shut down due to a blizzard that made it impossible for the employees to go to their offices.
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Could It Be Political?
Perhaps, but there's no way of telling yet. It is possible, especially since the mayoral race. The winner of the elections would become the 100th mayor of Philadelphia, which is the largest city in Pennsylvania and can indeed hold a significant vote count for presidential elections.
Although there are nine candidates in the race, five of which are ahead such as former City Council members Helen Gym, Cherelle Parker, and Allan Domb, as well as Rebecca Rhynhart and Jeff Brown, big names seem to be supporting Gym.
Helen Gym is backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Working Families Party, as mentioned in The New York Times. Since she and Cherelle Parker hold strong positions in the race, being backed by such may make a huge difference.
With the upcoming elections and a tight race, the breach of a respected publication to gain an edge against an opponent is not impossible. The hacker may access reporters' emails, sources, and private messages.
It could also be simply to delay the publication of information that may cause harm to the reputation of one of the candidates. It is unlikely, but the threat actors may resort to publishing misinformation.
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