Met Opera in New York reports crippling cyberattack

Demonstrators, including locked out stagehands, backstage workers, musicians, opera singers and supporters of The Metropolitan Opera, protest during the “We Are the Met Rally” outside Lincoln Center Plaza on May 13, 2021, in New York City. The Metropolitan Opera said Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, that a cyberattack had prevented its website, box office and call center in New York from functioning. ANGELA WEISS / AFP

NEW YORK—The Metropolitan Opera said Thursday, Dec. 8, that a cyberattack had prevented its website, box office and call center in New York from functioning.

The prestigious institution said its “network issues” had begun on Tuesday.

All performances are taking place as scheduled, the Met said, but new ticket orders, exchanges and refunds were not immediately possible.

The organization provided no explanation or details about the attack, and a spokesperson for the Manhattan-based company did not immediately respond to an AFP query.

The specialist outlet OperaWire, citing a letter to company members from General Manager Peter Gelb, said an investigation into the attack was ongoing.

“Unfortunately, we’ve experienced a cyberattack that has temporarily impacted our network systems,” the letter read.

“We launched an immediate investigation into the nature and scope of the incident. While web experts work to resolve the situation, our systems are down.”

Gelb said the Met was also temporarily unable to process paychecks.

Cyberattacks have plagued companies and governmental offices in the US and elsewhere for years.

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a mammoth national defense spending bill that includes tens of millions of dollars to help bolster cybersecurity efforts. The measure still requires Senate approval.  /ra