‘Data Breach’ of Publisher’s Server Exposes Sensitive Info

Investigation of apparent Dominion Enterprises hacker launched.

By Jason Fell
08/21/2008

Dominion Enterprises, the Virginia-based publisher of several consumer enthusiast and trade magazines, announced that a computer server within its InterActive Financial Marketing Group was hacked into and illegally accessed by an "unknown and unauthorized third party."

The apparent information breach resulted in the potential exposure of personal information, including the names, addresses, birth dates, and social security numbers of 92,095 applicants who submitted credit applications to IFMG's family of special finance Web sites, the company says. The breach occurred between November 2007 and February 2008.

Dominion is offering effected individuals one year of free credit monitoring services. "We deeply regret this incident and apologize for the concern and inconvenience it has caused," president and CEO Conrad M. Hall said in a statement. "We are committed to helping those who were affected and strongly encourage them to sign up for the complimentary credit monitoring and to take the action steps outlined in our letter."

The company says it has taken immediate steps to enhance its security systems and that local law enforcement has launched an investigation.

Dominion is a division of Landmark Communications, which sold the Weather Channel to NBC Universal and a pair of private equity groups for $3.5 billion in July. Landmark has since secured Lehman Bros. to conduct a sales process for Dominion.