Downeast Energy victim of a bank computer breach

Downeast Energy & Building Supply has recently discovered that it was the victim of a computer breach resulting in unauthorized access to one of its bank accounts at Key Bank.

The perpetrators succeeded in transferring funds out of the account which may result in a loss to Downeast less than $150,000. The breach occurred as a result of a response to a very sophisticated phishing e-mail.

The perpetrators were able to transfer money from the company’s bank account which receives the automatic deposits from customers EFT accounts (Electronic Funds Transfer). Because this particular bank account was hit, the perpetrators could have viewed certain private information of Downeast’s EFT accounts customers, their names, their banks and their account numbers at those banks.

Maine law, Chapter 210-B of Title 10, requires that in these circumstances the company must give notice to customers of such breach, so the company has sent letters to all the customers, approximately 800, affected by this incident. Also as a part of the notice requirements under Maine law, they notified the Attorney General’s Office of this event.