Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has initiated an investigation into Lee Enterprises, a multistate media company, following a cyberattack that compromised thousands of subscribers’ personal information. The investigation is being conducted under Montana’s Consumer Protection Act, which aims to protect the online personal and financial information of residents.
According to reports, nearly 40,000 employees and subscribers were affected, and the stolen data includes first and last names, as well as Social Security numbers. “Identity theft associated with data breaches threatens Montanans’ financial security,” Attorney General Knudsen stated in a press release. “It is my job as Attorney General to protect Montanans by ensuring companies that collect and store our personal and financial information do so responsibly and comply with all applicable laws.”
As part of the investigation, Lee Enterprises has been given one month to respond to a Civil Investigative Demand (CID). This demand requires the company to disclose the types of information it collects, its purposes, and the notification process for affected customers. Lee Enterprises owns several publications in Montana, including the Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, Missoulian, Montana Standard, and Ravalli Republic.
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
