NEWSDIARYONLINE, an Abuja-based newspaper has once again suffered a major cyber-attack. The attack in the early hours of Sunday November 13, 2022, which rendered all posts on the site inaccessible, was quickly reported by anxious readers across Nigeria
This development was disclosed in a statement by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newsdiaryonline, Mr Danlami Nmodu, on Monday.
Nmodu, who was unfortunately on admission at a hospital in Abuja swiftly alerted the IT staff who eventually restored the site after what he described as a “scary battle during which he resorted to prayers at some point.” All posts on the site had been wiped off during the attack he said.
The webmaster succeeded in restoring the site thanks to the multiple backup security measures in place after Newsdiaryonline’s first major experience.
It could be recalled that the Management of Newsdiary Communications Limited, publishers of Newsdiaryonline had on April 2, 2017 announced that the online newspaper resumed publication after it came under malicious cyber attack
A statement then by Nmodu, the publisher, expressed gratitude to the Almighty God and the wizardry of the company’s IT professional. “We also thank all those who called us or sent messages of solidarity and encouragement through social media platforms
Mr Nmodu then said in 2017, “it was the worst attack we have suffered since we started publishing Newsdiaryonline in 2008.
Recall Newsdiaryonline started operation in Lagos before its headquarters moved to Abuja in 2010.
Nmodu noted in 2017, “We are also careful not to point accusing fingers because we know cyber attacks have become a widespread phenomenon in our global village… Just as we know institutions can target whatever they wish, we also know there are freelance attackers.”
He said further on the 2017 attack “It was a sad experience, because we lost a lot from this attack. But it has turned out to be very good as we have learnt some security lessons from it.
“For us at Newsdiaryonline, the right of the people to know what is happening is our priority. We cherish our credibility and we shall continue to uphold the tenets of good, ethical and responsible journalism on our online platform
On this latest attack Nmodu said, “though the database was again affected, we were able restore the site due the backup measures in place.”
