Südwestdeutsche Medienholding (SWMH), a major German media group owning publications including the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Stuttgarter Zeitung, and Stuttgarter Nachrichten, experienced a cyberattack in mid-July 2024. Unauthorized individuals briefly accessed the company's internal network, impacting all connected companies. The intrusion was detected over the weekend of July 12-13, 2024, and was stopped by the start of the week. Online reporting and newspaper production continued without interruption.

The incident has been reported to the police cybercrime unit and is under investigation by external IT security experts. SWMH is cooperating with law enforcement and data protection authorities to identify the perpetrators and improve cybersecurity. The company employs approximately 4,500 people.

Impact Statement: The incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of even major media organizations to cyberattacks and underscores the growing need for robust cybersecurity measures in Germany.