Agence France-Presse Hit by Cyberattack, Operations Continue
Paris, France – Agence France-Presse (AFP), one of the world’s leading news agencies, announced on Saturday that it had been targeted in a cyberattack. The attack, discovered Friday evening, compromised several systems responsible for delivering news content to AFP’s clients.
Despite the attack, AFP reassured the public that its editorial staff and services continue to operate and deliver news coverage globally. The agency’s technical teams, with support from the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), are working tirelessly to address the situation.
The attack involved a breach of passwords for AFP’s FTP servers, which handle the agency’s vast content library. While the investigation is ongoing, the perpetrators and their motives remain unknown.
Cyberattacks targeting media organizations are increasingly common, often aiming to disrupt operations, steal sensitive information, or spread disinformation. In 2022 alone, the media industry experienced a statistically significant increase in cyberattacks, highlighting the vulnerability of these organizations in the digital age.
AFP’s commitment to transparency and continued operations amidst this attack underscore the resilience of news organizations in the face of growing cyber threats. The agency’s collaboration with ANSSI exemplifies the importance of public-private partnerships in combating cybercrime and ensuring the free flow of information.
