On Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, one of The Eastern Echo email addresses, editor@easternecho.com, was hacked, sending unauthorized messages to various contacts and recent recipients around 2 p.m.
The account has since been disabled as The Eastern Echo works to secure its system. In the meantime, any recipients are advised not to open any recent messages from the account or click any links. Suspicious emails should be reported to email providers.
Eastern Michigan University Division of Information Technology has resources for individuals who suspect a security compromise. IT staff advises EMU email users to forward potentially malicious or suspicious email to phishing@emich.edu for review. Those who believe they have been the victim of a phishing campaign should change their password immediately and contact the EMU Help Desk at 734-487-2120 to report the incident. Users might need to change passwords on other sites, too.
"If you believe that your EMU NetID account or any EMU owned computer has been compromised, it is best to report the incident to the Help Desk at 734.487.2120 for further evaluation," administrators advise.
The IT division also offers additional guidance:
"Think before you click. - Be a click-skeptic, avoid Phishing attacks! - Phishing is a major security problem for YOU and for the University. Between November 2012 and July 2013, more than 400 accounts were compromised at EMU.
Think before you post. - What do your online posts say about you? - Information on social media like Facebook might be used by a cyber-criminal to reset your forgotten password and possibly steal money from you or damage your reputation.
Think before you type. - Be smart when creating passwords! - Your password may be all that stands between a thief and your online accounts. Change your password regularly. Create passwords that are tough for cyber-criminals to crack."
