Sinclair Broadcast Group

Assets

By October 2021, the Sinclair Broadcast Group media holding owns 193 television stations in the United States, including the largest venues used by Fox, ABC and The CW TV channels. Sinclair's other assets also include:

• 4 digital multicast networks (Comet, Charge!, Stadium, TBD);
• sports cable networks (Tennis Channel and Bally Sports Regional Networks);
• streaming service Stirr;
• four radio stations.

History

2021: Server lockdown as a result of ransomware attack

On October 18, 2021, the telecommunications conglomerate Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) reported an ransomware virus attack that disrupted some office and operating networks within the company. Shares of the company against the backdrop of this news fell by almost 3%.

At a meeting held through Zoom, SBGI employees were told that the intrusion caused, and may also continue to cause, disruptions to parts of Sinclair's business, including some aspects of local broadcast stations providing advertising on behalf of their customers.

Sinclair was attacked by ransomware viruses, servers are blocked

According to employees of the SBGI television station, problems prevented the release of local information programs during October 17-18, 2021. Employees themselves asked for anonymity, since Sinclair management forbade employees from communicating with external media on this issue. Some consequences of the attack of the redemption program are visible to viewers. On WBFF, noon news releases on October 18, 2021 aired without the usual graphics and accompaniment. Some of the segments, usually going live, were clearly prepared in advance. Reporters who spoke with CNN said they were not informed of any timeline for returning to normal work.

Sinclair began investigating the incident on October 16, 2021, and on October 17, 2021 found that some servers and workstations in its environment were encrypted by ransomware viruses, the company said in a statement published on October 18, 2021. According to one of the SBGI reporters, he clarified that employees will still receive salaries, despite the interruptions.

Sinclair is responsible for 185 television stations in 86 markets, according to its website. It also operates regional sports networks. The company's stations are still on the air and continue to show national and syndicated programs. Problems mainly interfere with local direct programs, such as news releases, which usually air several hours a day. The Record, a cybersecurity news outlet, was the first to report an extortion incident from Sinclair.^[1]

Notes