Who Hacked the UBA Network in The Morning Show? Theories

Apple TV+’s ‘The Morning Show‘ is a drama series created by Jay Carson and developed for television by Kerry Ehrin. It stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon as Alexandra “Alex” Levy and Bradley Jackson, news anchors navigating the cutthroat world of the morning news business while dealing with several controversies at the UBA. In the show’s third season, a cyberattack rocks the UBA network and threatens to destroy the company’s market value, goodwill, revenue streams, and reputation through a data leak. As a result of the drastic consequences of the cyberattacks, viewers must be curious to learn who is behind the hacking, and here are our theories on the matter! SPOILERS AHEAD!

Who Hacked the UBA Network?

In the second episode of season 3, titled ‘Ghost in the Machine,’ the UBA presents its regular morning breakfast news broadcast with Alex and Bradley as a guest following her trip to space. However, during the broadcast, the control room experienced a malfunction, leading to a complete lockdown. While Chip ensures everyone gets to safety, there are speculations about the facility being attacked by active shooters. However, it is later revealed that the UBA facility is under a cyberattack, and all their systems and devices connected to the wireless network have been hacked. The episode hints at several possible candidates who could be behind the UBA hacking.

Theory 1: Paul Marks

Paul Marks is introduced in the third season premiere of the series, with actor Jon Hamm essaying the role. Marks is a billionaire who owns the space research company Hyperion. In episode 1, it is revealed that Marks is planning to acquire UBA from Cory Ellison. However, the two do not see eye to eye on the network’s valuation, causing a hold-up in the deal. In episode 2, Cory implies that Marks might be behind the cyberattack on the UBA, trying to push the network’s market value down and forcing Cory to sell UBA to him for cheap. Towards the episode’s end, Marks is seen monitoring the news around UBA, implying he could be behind the cyberattack, especially since he has deep pockets, an egotistical personality, and a background in cyber security.

Theory 2: Cory Ellison

Cory Ellison is the CEO of UBA, who is forced into a crisis situation after the cyberattack on the network. Cory remains extremely calm and does not fear the hackers leaking his private data, implying he might be behind the ordeal. However, the cyberattack contradicts Cory’s plan to sell UBA to Marks. Moreover, the episode sees Cory desperately trying to convince the board members to pay the ransom to prevent his employees’ data from leaking. Lastly, Cory is an innate opportunist skilled at turning adversities into steps to success, and a cyberattack does not fit his MO. Thus, the revelation of Cory being behind the cyberattacks seems the least plausible and most shocking, making it an interesting twist.

Theory 3: Russia

The second episode strongly suggests that Russia is behind the cyberattack on UBA. The episode mentions that the US Presidential elections are not far away, and Russia has attacked Ukraine, leading to a war. Cybil states that the Russian President is known for sanctioning cyberattacks on US news networks. She theorizes that the ransom money could be used to fund Russia’s hostile invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, Cory also states that the digital signatures and patterns of the hackers seemingly suggest a Russian connection, but there is no concrete proof of the same. Thus, Russia being behind the cyberattack is a strong possibility and would suit the season’s overall political narrative.

Theory 4: Others

Although Paul Marks, Cory Ellison, and Russia are three possible perpetrators behind the cyberattack, they could be working in cahoots with other employees at the UBA. The episode reveals that Stella Bak, the President of News at UBA, has an old connection with Marks, as there is a photograph of them together on her phone. As a result, Stella draws suspicion and could be involved in the cyberattack with Marks. Meanwhile, Mia Jordan also acts suspiciously in the episode as she speaks with someone stationed in Kyiv, Ukraine, implying she could have helped the Russian hackers with the cyberattack. Lastly, it is also possible that no one at the UBA is directly involved with the cyberattack, and it could be the act of anonymous hackers.