SmartNews: points and rewards system intrusion

1. 2026-10-31

   Through 1 November, a third party accessed part of the systems without authorization. [2]

2. 2026-11-01

   SmartNews said it had stopped some features of SmartNews and, in an update as of 15:00, confirmed the unauthorized access. It treats this separately from the SmartNews: server flaw exploited, service halted case of 22 October. [1] [2] [3]

Unauthorized operations were found in the points and rewards system, and point exchange was stopped; the effect on user accounts is under investigation. Personalization, push notifications and some rewards are unavailable. Ad delivery continues, and the effect on ad systems is being checked. [2]

The affected systems were stopped and credentials are being revoked and replaced. Users are asked to report unexpected changes to their points or rewards. [2]