Some reporters at the prominent American newspaper Washington Post (WP) have reportedly had their emails hacked. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 15th (local time) that WP is investigating the possibility that hackers accessed the work emails of reporters through Microsoft accounts on the 12th.
The hacking target includes reporters from the national security team and economic policy team, some of whom are known to have covered articles related to China.
In the media industry, there are analyses suggesting that the scope of damage could be limited due to reporters preferring to contact sensitive informants via Slack or the encrypted messenger Signal rather than email.
Reporters are considered one of the primary targets for hackers supported by foreign entities, much like senior security officials or politicians. In particular, journalists dealing with security issues or diplomatic matters often encounter sensitive information during the reporting process, making them susceptible to hacking risks.
In fact, not only WP but also News Corporation, the parent company of WSJ, has suffered hacking damage. Between early 2020 and 2022, evidence was detected that hackers stole reporters' emails, documents, article drafts, and more. At the time, the hackers were reported to have shown interest in issues sensitive to China, such as the Uyghurs and Taiwan.