Washington Post Journalists Targeted in Suspected Chinese Cyberattack

June 16, 2025 – USA – 

The Washington Post has disclosed that several of its journalists who cover national security, economic policy, and China were targeted in a sophisticated cyberattack suspected to be carried out by Chinese state-linked hackers. The attack, which came to light on June 12, 2025, involved unauthorized access to the Microsoft email accounts of a small group of reporters.

Executive Editor Matt Murray informed staff in an internal memo, noting that while only a limited number of accounts were affected, there was concern that attackers may have accessed confidential email communications. The journalists impacted were notified directly and instructed not to publicly discuss the breach to avoid compromising ongoing investigations.

The Washington Post emphasized that its broader network systems and subscriber data remained secure. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, the newspaper ordered a mandatory reset of all employee credentials and enhanced its cybersecurity protocols.

Although no official attribution has been made, cybersecurity experts and multiple media reports suggest the likely involvement of China-based advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. These hackers are believed to be seeking intelligence on sensitive reporting related to China, following a pattern seen in earlier incidents such as the 2022 News Corp cyberattack, which similarly targeted journalists covering China.

This breach underscores the increasing vulnerability of journalists to state-sponsored cyber espionage. Reporters covering geopolitically sensitive issues often rely on encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal or Slack for confidential communications, but breaches of email systems still pose significant threats to source protection and editorial independence.

Chinese cyber units, including groups known as APT31, Salt Typhoon, and APT41, have a history of exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange and other systems to infiltrate U.S. media, government, and corporate networks. The Washington Post is currently working closely with Microsoft and cybersecurity specialists to investigate the breach and bolster defenses against future intrusions.

The attack highlights the growing risks facing media organizations worldwide as state actors increasingly target journalists to gather sensitive information and disrupt independent reporting.

Reference – 

https://nypost.com/2025/06/16/media/washington-post-journalists-who-cover-china-had-their-email-hacked/\

https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/suspected-chinese-hackers-targeted-washington-post-a-28715

https://san.com/cc/washington-post-national-security-economic-china-reporters-hacked/