This notice is being published for transparency and community awareness.
Yesterday afternoon a Coast News staff email account was briefly accessed by an unauthorized outside party. The account was used to send messages that appeared to share a document and, in some cases, prompted a file download.
The account has been secured and the activity has stopped.
This incident did not involve a breach of our website, subscriber database, advertising systems, or payment information. The attacker used a trusted sender identity to try to trick recipients into interacting with a malicious link.
The message referenced a shared document and led to a Windows program file. The file cannot run on Macs, iPhones, Android phones, or tablets. Only individuals who downloaded and opened the file on a Windows computer would be at risk.
If you received the message:
• If you did not click anything, no action is needed
• If you opened the link but did not enter information, you are likely safe
• If you entered your email password, change it immediately and enable two factor authentication
• If you downloaded the file on a Windows computer, disconnect from the internet and run an antivirus scan before continuing to use the device
We are directly notifying contacts who may have received the message so they can protect themselves and avoid further spread.
We understand the trust our community places in our communications and appreciate your understanding.
For questions, please contact us at (760) 500-0072.
— Coast News Group
