The Washington Post Company CyberSecurity Posture

http://www.washingtonpost.com/
ISOSOC2 Type 1SOC2 Type 2PCI DSSHIPAAGDPR

The Washington Post is an award-winning news leader whose mission is to connect, inform, and enlighten local, national and global readers with trustworthy reporting, in-depth analysis and engaging opinions. The Post is as much a tech company as it is a media company, combining world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools so readers can interact with The Post anytime, anywhere. Our approach is always the same– shape ideas, redefine speed, take ownership and lead. Every employee, every project, every day.

The Washington Post A.I CyberSecurity Scoring

WP

Company Details

Linkedin ID:

washingtonpost

Website:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Employees number:

3,708

Number of followers:

1,610,969

NAICS:

51111

Industry Type:

Newspaper Publishing

Homepage:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

IP Addresses:

Scan still pending

Company ID:

THE_1363211

Scan Status:

In-progress

AI scoreWP Risk Score (AI oriented)

Between 0 and 549

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WP Newspaper Publishing
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globalscoreWP Global Score (TPRM)

XXXX

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The Washington Post

Critical
Current Score
493
C (Critical)
01000
5 incidents
-69.25 avg impact

Incident timeline with MITRE ATT&CK tactics, techniques, and mitigations.

DECEMBER 2025
493
NOVEMBER 2025
488
OCTOBER 2025
486
SEPTEMBER 2025
478
AUGUST 2025
471
JULY 2025
593
Ransomware
10 Jul 2025 • The Washington Post
The Washington Post Data Breach via Oracle E-Business Suite Vulnerability

The Washington Post, a prominent American news organization, suffered a data breach caused by an exploited vulnerability in Oracle’s E-Business Suite software. The ransomware group **CL0P** gained unauthorized access between **July 10, 2025, and August 22, 2025**, compromising sensitive personal and financial data of **9,720 current and former employees and contractors**. Exposed information included **names, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, bank account numbers, and routing numbers**.The breach was discovered on **September 29, 2025**, after a threat actor contacted the company. Forensic investigations confirmed the exploit, revealing the vulnerability was widespread among Oracle clients. The Washington Post applied patches, notified affected individuals via mail starting **November 12, 2025**, and disclosed the incident to the **Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont Attorney Generals' offices**. As a remedial measure, the company offered **24 months of free IDX identity protection services** to impacted individuals.

458
critical -135
WAS4192541111325
Incident Details -
Type
Data Breach / Ransomware Attack
Attack Vector
Exploitation of Zero-Day Vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite
Vulnerability Exploited
Unknown vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite (CVE not specified)
Motivation
Financial Gain (Data Theft for Extortion or Sale)
Impact
Names Social Security Numbers Tax ID Numbers Bank Account Numbers Routing Numbers Oracle E-Business Suite applications Brand Reputation Impact: Potential reputational damage due to exposure of employee PII Legal Liabilities: Disclosures to Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont Attorney Generals' offices Identity Theft Risk: High (SSNs, tax IDs, and bank details exposed) Payment Information Risk: High (bank account and routing numbers exposed)
Response
Forensic Experts Applied patches for Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerability Notification letters mailed to affected individuals (starting 2025-11-12) Disclosure to state Attorney Generals' offices (Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont)
Data Breach
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Financial Data Number Of Records Exposed: 9,720 Sensitivity Of Data: High (SSNs, tax IDs, bank details)
Regulatory Compliance
Maine Attorney General Massachusetts Attorney General Vermont Attorney General
Recommendations
Monitor financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity Enroll in the provided 24 months of IDX identity protection services
Investigation Status
Completed (forensic investigation confirmed exploit and scope)
Customer Advisories
Affected individuals notified via mail with guidance on identity protection
Stakeholder Advisories
Notifications sent to affected employees/contractors and state regulators
Initial Access Broker
Entry Point: Vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite Employee PII and financial data
Post Incident Analysis
Exploitation of zero-day vulnerability in third-party software (Oracle E-Business Suite) Delayed detection (breach occurred July–August 2025, detected in September 2025) Applied vendor-provided patches for the vulnerability Offered identity protection services to affected individuals
References
Blog URL Source URL
JULY 2025
655
Breach
01 Jul 2025 • The Washington Post
Washington Post Data Breach Affecting Oracle E-Suite Infrastructure

The Washington Post experienced a significant **data breach** in July 2025, which remained undetected for **3.5 months** until October 27, 2025. The breach targeted its **Oracle E-Suite infrastructure**, compromising the personal data of **9,720 employees and contractors**, including names, personal identifiers, and other sensitive information. The exposed records pose risks of **identity theft, fraud, and dark web exploitation**, prompting the company to offer **12 months of complimentary identity protection services (IDX)** to affected individuals. The delayed detection raises concerns about the organization’s **security monitoring and incident response capabilities**, particularly given the scale of the breach and the sensitivity of the exposed employee data. External hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the enterprise system, highlighting persistent risks in **ERP platforms** and the broader threat landscape for media organizations managing large volumes of personnel data.

592
critical -63
WAS1332413111425
Incident Details -
Type
Data Breach
Attack Vector
External hacking activity targeting Oracle E-Suite systems
Impact
Oracle E-Suite infrastructure Brand Reputation Impact: Potential harm due to exposure of employee and contractor data Legal Liabilities: Regulatory notifications required under state data breach laws Identity Theft Risk: High (names and personal identifiers exposed)
Response
ZwillGen PLLC (privacy and data security law firm) IDX (identity protection services) Recovery Measures: 12 months of complimentary identity protection services (credit monitoring, dark web surveillance, identity theft recovery assistance) Communication Strategy: Written notifications sent to affected individuals on 2025-11-12; breach notification filed with Maine regulators
Data Breach
Names Personal identifiers Additional sensitive information Number Of Records Exposed: 9,720 Sensitivity Of Data: High (personally identifiable information)
Regulatory Compliance
State data breach laws (e.g., Maine regulators)
Lessons Learned
The incident underscores the importance of robust monitoring, threat detection, and incident response capabilities for organizations managing sensitive systems and employee data. The extended detection window (3.5 months) highlights vulnerabilities in security monitoring and incident detection systems. Securing access to enterprise platforms is critical, especially with expanding remote work and contractor relationships.
Recommendations
Implement enhanced security monitoring and threat detection systems to reduce the time between breach occurrence and discovery. Strengthen access controls and security measures for enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems like Oracle E-Suite. Provide identity protection services to affected individuals to mitigate risks of fraud or identity theft. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses in critical systems.
Investigation Status
Ongoing (as of disclosure date)
Customer Advisories
Affected individuals advised to monitor personal information and utilize provided identity protection services (credit monitoring, dark web surveillance, identity theft recovery).
Initial Access Broker
Entry Point: Oracle E-Suite infrastructure Employee and contractor data
Post Incident Analysis
Inadequate security monitoring and incident detection capabilities (3.5-month delay in detection). Vulnerabilities in Oracle E-Suite infrastructure exploited by external threat actors.
References
Blog URL Source URL
JUNE 2025
670
Cyber Attack
16 Jun 2025 • The Washington Post
Cyberattack on The Washington Post

The Washington Post experienced a sophisticated cyberattack targeting the email accounts of journalists covering national security and economic policy, particularly those with expertise in China-related matters. The attackers gained unauthorized access to Microsoft email credentials, potentially exposing sensitive correspondence with government officials, policy experts, and international contacts. The breach was detected during routine security monitoring, and immediate containment protocols were initiated. A forensic investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of data accessed and the methods used by the attackers. The attack suggests advanced operational planning and detailed reconnaissance of the organization's structure.

654
high -16
WAS901061625
Incident Details -
Type
Cyber Espionage
Attack Vector
Compromised Microsoft credentials
Motivation
Intelligence gathering on national security and economic policy issues
Impact
Email communications Sensitive correspondence Email accounts
Response
Incident Response Plan Activated: Yes Third Party Assistance: Yes Mandatory password reset Organization-wide security measures Memorandum to affected staff
Data Breach
Email communications High
Investigation Status
['Ongoing']
Initial Access Broker
Entry Point: Compromised Microsoft credentials Journalists covering national security and economic policy
References
Blog URL Source URL
JUNE 2025
732
Breach
01 Jun 2025 • The Washington Post
Washington Post Oracle E-Business Suite Data Theft and Extortion Attempt

The Washington Post, a major U.S. daily newspaper with ~2.5M digital subscribers, suffered a data breach via a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-61884) in Oracle E-Business Suite between **July 10–August 22, 2025**. Threat actors (linked to the **Clop ransomware group**) exploited the flaw to access the Post’s internal ERP system, stealing sensitive **employee and contractor data**—including **full names, bank account/routing numbers, Social Security numbers (SSNs), and tax/ID numbers**—affecting **9,720 individuals**. The attackers later attempted extortion in late September. While the breach was contained to internal HR/finance systems, the exposed data poses severe risks of **identity theft, financial fraud, and reputational harm**. Victims were offered 12 months of free identity protection (IDX) and advised to freeze credit files. The incident follows a separate June 2025 attack on journalists’ emails by state actors, though no direct link was confirmed.

669
critical -63
WAS0092300111325
Incident Details -
Type
data breach extortion zero-day exploit
Attack Vector
exploitation of zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-61884) unauthorized access to Oracle E-Business Suite
Vulnerability Exploited
CVE-2025-61884 (Oracle E-Business Suite zero-day)
Motivation
financial gain extortion
Impact
full names bank account numbers routing numbers Social Security numbers (SSNs) tax and ID numbers Oracle E-Business Suite (HR, finance, supply chain modules) Brand Reputation Impact: Potential reputational damage due to exposure of employee/contractor data and extortion attempt Identity Theft Risk: High (SSNs, bank details, and tax IDs exposed) Payment Information Risk: High (bank account and routing numbers exposed)
Response
investigation with external experts collaboration with Oracle 12-month free identity protection (IDX) for affected individuals recommendations for credit freezes and fraud alerts notification letters to affected individuals public disclosure
Data Breach
personally identifiable information (PII) financial data tax information Sensitivity Of Data: High (includes SSNs, bank details, and tax IDs)
Recommendations
Apply patches for CVE-2025-61884 promptly Monitor Oracle E-Business Suite for unauthorized access Enhance identity protection for employees (e.g., credit freezes, fraud alerts) Review third-party software vulnerabilities proactively
Investigation Status
['Completed (as of 2025-10-27)']
Stakeholder Advisories
12-month identity protection (IDX) offered to affected individuals
Initial Access Broker
Entry Point: Zero-day vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite (CVE-2025-61884) HR data financial data employee/contractor PII
Post Incident Analysis
Unpatched zero-day vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite Lack of proactive monitoring for novel exploits
References
Blog URL Source URL
MAY 2025
732
APRIL 2025
731
MARCH 2025
729
FEBRUARY 2025
728
JANUARY 2025
727
JUNE 2023
789
Ransomware
16 Jun 2023 • The Washington Post
Washington Post Data Breach Linked to Clop Ransomware Exploiting Oracle E-Business Suite Vulnerabilities

The Washington Post confirmed it was a victim of a **data breach orchestrated by the Clop ransomware gang**, exploiting vulnerabilities in **Oracle’s E-Business Suite**—a widely used enterprise software. The attack was part of a **large-scale supply-chain campaign** targeting hundreds of organizations globally, leveraging zero-day flaws in Oracle’s platform. While specifics of the compromised data remain undisclosed, the breach likely exposed **internal financial or operational records**, given the suite’s role in business-critical processes. The incident aligns with Clop’s history of high-profile ransomware attacks, including the 2023 **MOVEit breach**, and follows a March 2025 Oracle Cloud hack where **6 million records were exfiltrated**. The Washington Post acknowledged the intrusion in a public statement, linking it to the broader Oracle exploitation wave. Industry experts warn of **ongoing risks** due to unpatched vulnerabilities in enterprise software, with Clop’s tactics combining **data exfiltration, ransom demands, and dark-web data sales**. The breach underscores systemic weaknesses in **third-party supply-chain security**, prompting calls for stricter vendor oversight and proactive patch management.

698
critical -91
WAS3504935110825
Incident Details -
Type
Data Breach Ransomware Attack Supply-Chain Attack
Attack Vector
Zero-Day Exploit in Oracle E-Business Suite Supply-Chain Compromise
Vulnerability Exploited
Undisclosed Zero-Day in Oracle E-Business Suite Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Flaw (from March 2025 breach)
Motivation
Financial Gain (Ransom Demands) Data Theft for Dark Web Sales
Impact
Potential Internal Data Financial Records (speculated) Operational Data (speculated) Oracle E-Business Suite Brand Reputation Impact: High (Media Coverage, Social Media Discussions)
Response
Incident Response Plan Activated: Acknowledged in Public Statement (Reuters, TechCrunch) Communication Strategy: Public Statement via Media Outlets (Reuters, TechCrunch)
Data Breach
Internal Data (speculated) Financial/Operational Data (potential) Sensitivity Of Data: High (Enterprise Financial/Operational Data) Data Exfiltration: Confirmed (Clop's Modus Operandi)
Lessons Learned
Supply-chain vulnerabilities in widely used enterprise software (e.g., Oracle E-Business Suite) can cascade across hundreds of organizations. Proactive vulnerability management and third-party risk assessments are critical for mitigating large-scale breaches. Multi-factor authentication and auditing of Oracle installations are recommended to prevent similar exploits. Regulatory oversight for critical software vendors may need strengthening to address systemic risks.
Recommendations
Immediate patching of Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerabilities. Enhanced monitoring of third-party software dependencies. Implementation of multi-factor authentication for enterprise systems. Regular audits of Oracle installations and supply-chain security posture. Development of incident response plans tailored to supply-chain attacks. Collaboration with cybersecurity firms (e.g., CloudSEK) for threat intelligence sharing.
Investigation Status
['Ongoing (Limited Details Disclosed)']
Stakeholder Advisories
Public Statements via Media (Reuters, TechCrunch)
Initial Access Broker
Entry Point: Vulnerabilities in Oracle E-Business Suite Enterprise Financial/Operational Data Data Sold On Dark Web: Likely (Clop's Historical Behavior)
Post Incident Analysis
Zero-Day Exploits in Oracle E-Business Suite Supply-Chain Dependency Risks Delayed Patching or Lack of Vulnerability Awareness Oracle's Ongoing Efforts to Address Flaws (Unspecified Patches) Industry Recommendations for Auditing Oracle Installations Calls for Enhanced Regulatory Oversight on Enterprise Software Vendors
References
Blog URL Source URL

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Rankiteo, the current A.I.-based Cyber Score for The Washington Post is 493, which corresponds to a Critical rating.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for November 2025 was 488.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for October 2025 was 486.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for September 2025 was 478.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for August 2025 was 471.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for July 2025 was 592.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for June 2025 was 669.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for May 2025 was 732.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for April 2025 was 731.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for March 2025 was 729.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for February 2025 was 728.

According to Rankiteo, the A.I. Rankiteo Cyber Score for January 2025 was 727.

Over the past 12 months, the average per-incident point impact on The Washington Post’s A.I Rankiteo Cyber Score has been -69.25 points.

You can access The Washington Post’s cyber incident details on Rankiteo by visiting the following link: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/washingtonpost.

You can find the summary of the A.I Rankiteo Risk Scoring methodology on Rankiteo by visiting the following link: Rankiteo Algorithm.

You can view The Washington Post’s profile page on Rankiteo by visiting the following link: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/washingtonpost.

With scores of 18.5/20 from OpenAI ChatGPT, 20/20 from Mistral AI, and 17/20 from Claude AI, the A.I. Rankiteo Risk Scoring methodology is validated as a market leader.