Lee Enterprises ransomware attack halts freelance and contractor payments

TechCrunch reports that Lee Enterprises was hit by a suspected ransomware attack on February 3 that encrypted critical systems and has caused widespread outages and disruptions across dozens of U.S. newspapers, delaying print editions and affecting billing, distribution, and vendor payments; the Qilin ransomware group has claimed responsibility and the company warned the incident may materially affect its financial condition while investigating.