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Outbrain opens Asia office as security breach allows hackers to strike US news outlets

Outbrain logoOutbrain, a content recommendation platform, has officially launched in Asia, opening an office in Singapore that will serve as a regional hub.

The launch comes as Syrian hackers briefly compromised the websites of CNN, Time and Washington Post by exposing a security lapse at Outbrain.

The breach resulted in some Washingtonpost.com and Time.com readers being directed to the website of supporters of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

After the hackers struck, Outbrain temporarily unplugged its network.

The breach came after a phishing email to Outbrain employees claiming to be from the CEO. One employee responded to the email by providing the hackers with the company’s log-in details.

Hacker attacks on media sites are becoming increasingly common, with the websites of AP, The Guardian, Al Jazeera and the Financial Times all falling victim in recent months.

In an interview with Mumbrella in July, IT security firm Symantec warned publishers that they needed to be more proactive in heading off security threats from hackers.

Outbrain works with ABS-CBN, CNN Travel, Channel NewsAsia and The Times of India in Asia.

Anthony Hearne, regional manager of Outbrain Asia, said in a press release about the launch: “Outbrain is about putting users first and our mission is to help readers discover interesting and trustworthy content, which then translates into a win-win scenario for publishers and brands alike.”

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