Entered 22,000 user accounts – tested on 150,000 – E24

– What has happened is that we have discovered that unauthorized people have logged into accounts, where they have used a list of user identities that have been stolen from abroad, Schibsted’s privacy director Ingvild Næss tells E24 who he adds that the perpetrators had not. the correct details of the accounts you did not have access to.

He explains that the media group, which owns several of the largest newspaper houses in the country such as VG, Aftenposten and E24, knows that the usernames and passwords of these users have been available online.

It is not known what the digital thieves have done to the accounts they have been given access to, but Næss says:

– We currently have no information that the accounts have been misused in any way, he says.

Næss says that the data breach was not necessarily specifically directed at Schibsted, but rather that people use the same password across multiple services and thus gained access to multiple accounts.

I don’t know how long the accounts have been online.

Tonight, information will be released to all those affected by the theft.

– Our system automatically changes the passwords of the accounts that have been affected, and now we send information to our users and report it to the Data Inspection. This shows how important it is to update passwords.

The Schibsted account or “Spid” is the login used by readers and other customers of Schibsted newspapers and services, such as Finn.no.

– Have these hackers gained access to the card data?

– No, we do not have card details with us.

– Do you know how long or where these usernames and passwords are available?

– We have managed to verify that it has been available, but I have no information from where exactly.

In recent years, it has become relatively common for large numbers of usernames and passwords to be for sale online. Schibsted believes it is too early to conclude where user accounts have been available online. The company has received indications that the data may have been available on a hacker forum, but according to the company it may also indicate that “more advanced methods” have been used.

I don’t know the identity of the hackers.

It is not known exactly when the data breach occurred, but it was discovered on Friday.

– We still don’t know who’s behind it.

– If hackers have gained access to 22,000 Schibsted accounts, could it be that there are holes in their own security systems that are causing so many accounts to be diverted?

– Many of the login attempts failed, so this does not specifically apply to us. Of course, we go through everything that is on our side. Our best advice is to change your password regularly.

For the record: E24 is a wholly owned subsidiary of VG that is wholly owned by Schibsted. Some E24 journalists own shares in Schibsted through the company’s share savings program.