Agence France-Presse (AFP), the world’s leading news agency, announced on Saturday that it had been targeted by a cyberattack on Friday. The attack disrupted part of AFP’s delivery service to clients, although the exact nature and extent of the disruption remain unclear. The agency confirmed that its technical teams are working diligently to address the incident with the assistance of the French National Agency for IT Systems Security (ANSSI). French authorities have been notified and are investigating the attack.
While the identity of the perpetrators and the motive behind the attack are still unknown, AFP assured the public that its newsroom and all other services continue to operate normally, delivering news coverage from around the globe. The agency also emphasized its commitment to providing accurate and timely information.
This latest cyberattack comes amidst a growing trend of digital attacks in France. In August, authorities reported over 140 cyberattacks during the Paris Olympics, although none significantly disrupted the competitions. These attacks primarily targeted government entities as well as infrastructure related to sports, transportation, and telecommunications. Notably, a third of the reported incidents involved downtime, with half of those attributed to denial-of-service attacks designed to overwhelm servers.
The recent attack on AFP highlights the increasing vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats. It also underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and international collaboration to effectively combat these threats. The investigation into the AFP attack is ongoing, and further details are expected to be released as they become available.
