HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen launched an investigation Wednesday into Lee Enterprises, a multistate media company, following a cyberattack that compromised thousands of subscribers’ personal information.

Attorney General Knudsen is bringing the investigation under Montana’s Consumer Protection Act which exists to safeguard Montanans’ online personal and financial information. 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.

The Civil Investigative Demand (CID) gives Lee Enterprises one month to respond.

“Identity theft associated with data breaches threaten Montanans’ financial security,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “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.”

Attorney General Knudsen is demanding the company identify the type of information they collect from customers and for what purpose it is used, as well as when and how they notified customers.

In Montana, Lee Enterprises owns the Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, Missoulian, Montana Standard, and Ravalli Republic.

Click here to read the CID.