Straus Publishing

Summary

A ransomware attack significantly disrupted a news organization's operations, crippling essential systems required for content production, advertisement management, and billing. Staff manually rebuilt publications from scratch for over a month while rebuilding servers and replacing compromised hardware and software. Shortly after restoring operations, a fire at the primary printing plant forced the organization and others in the region to secure alternative facilities, resulting in increased logistical costs by necessitating weekly transportation of papers from a distant location. Despite both incidents causing sustained operational and financial strain, the newsroom maintained continuous publication without missing any scheduled distribution deadlines.

Motives

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TTPs

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Description

In March 2023, Straus News experienced a ransomware attack that compromised its servers, disrupting critical operational functions. The attack rendered their essential software inaccessible, impairing the newsroom’s ability to build newspapers, design advertisements and pages, manage billing for advertisers, and perform routine production tasks. Staff worked extensively outside normal hours to manually produce and distribute weekly publications while operating without their standard systems. This incident persisted for over a month, during which the organization prioritized rebuilding its server infrastructure, procuring replacement computers, and reinstalling necessary software to restore functionality. Despite these significant technical challenges and resource constraints, Straus News maintained its publication schedule, ensuring all issues reached subscribers on time without interruption. The direct operational and financial impacts included unplanned expenditures on hardware, software licenses, and labor allocated to system recovery, though specific financial figures or attribution details were not disclosed.

Shortly after resolving the ransomware incident in late April 2023, a fire damaged the printing plant Straus News typically relied on for production, compounding earlier disruptions. This forced Straus News and other regional publications in the tri-state area to secure alternative printing services amid heightened competition for limited third-party capacity. The organization transitioned to a printing facility in Massachusetts, necessitating weekly transportation of physical newspapers via truck rather than their prior New Jersey-based distribution model. This shift introduced logistical complications and increased production costs, notably related to extended transportation routes. Throughout both events, Straus News emphasized uninterrupted newspaper delivery to subscribers and sustained advertising operations, though it acknowledged ongoing financial strain. The organization subsequently solicited reader donations to offset recovery expenses while urging continued support for local advertisers, framing these appeals within broader operational resilience narratives.

Sources

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