Newport Advisory, LLC has notified California residents about a security incident involving unauthorized access to its computer network. According to the company’s letter, its security tools detected suspicious activity on January 12, 2025, and Newport Advisory took its entire network offline, notified law enforcement, and brought in outside cybersecurity experts. The investigation determined that certain files had already been copied off the network in late December 2024. This points to a case of hacking or system intrusion rather than an accidental leak. Newport Advisory states that financial transaction systems are run separately by other entities and were not affected by this incident.
The letter was sent to California residents whose personal information was found in the files that were copied off Newport Advisory’s network. The version of the notification letter we reviewed names the recipient’s individual name as exposed, but the description of any additional data elements was left as a placeholder rather than spelled out, so we can’t confirm the full list of information involved beyond that.
What information was exposed?
- Full name
- Additional personal information — the letter references other data elements but does not specify exactly what they are in the copy available to us
Newport Advisory is offering affected individuals a complimentary two-year membership in Experian IdentityWorks credit monitoring. To activate it, enroll by July 31, 2025 (the activation code will not work after this date) at https://www.experianidworks.com/credit, or call 833-918-1320 to register using the activation code provided in your letter.
What should you do now?
- Enroll in the free Experian IdentityWorks credit monitoring before the July 31, 2025 deadline using the activation code in your letter.
- Review your financial account statements and credit reports regularly for any activity you don’t recognize.
- Consider placing a fraud alert or a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, since a freeze prevents new accounts from being opened in your name without a PIN.
- Request your free annual credit reports at annualcreditreport.com to check for unfamiliar accounts.
- Because the exact data elements exposed weren’t detailed in this letter, it’s worth signing up for a service like Aura or LifeLock, which can alert you if your information turns up somewhere it shouldn’t.
- Report any suspected identity theft or fraud to your local police department, your state attorney general, and the FTC at ftc.gov/idtheft.
- Keep the letter and its engagement number on hand in case you need to contact Experian’s customer care team about identity restoration support.
If you have questions, Newport Advisory directs you to Experian’s customer care team at 833-918-1320 (have your engagement number ready), or to your financial advisor for other questions.