Lee Enterprises ransomware attack halts freelance and contractor payments

As disruption from a suspected ransomware attack on newspaper publishing giant Lee Enterprises enters its second month, the cyberattack is also affecting payments to freelancers and contractors who work for the company, TechCrunch has learned. The cyberattack on Lee Enterprises on February 3 sparked wide-scale outages and ongoing disruption at dozens of newspapers across the United States, including delays to print editions. Lee confirmed on February 18 that the hackers “encrypted critical applications” affecting the company’s operations, including its “distribution of products, billing, collections, and vendor payments.” One contractor for a Lee-owned property, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, told TechCrunch that as an outside vendor, they still have not been paid for their work a month after the cyberattack. The person told TechCrunch that Lee Enterprises said it was working on the issue, but that the person hasn’t heard anything from the company since mid- ... Read full article.