Everett-based Fluke Corp. failed to prevent data breach, lawsuit says

Published 1:30 am Friday, June 12, 2026

EVERETT — A Fluke Corp. employee filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Seattle on June 5, alleging the Everett-based manufacturer failed to protect its employees from a data breach.

The complaint alleges the electronic test tool company failed to implement adequate cybersecurity protocols that would have protected the private information of 18,517 individuals reportedly impacted by the breach.

Fluke Corp. did not respond to The Daily Herald’s request for comment Wednesday.

An Everett resident received a letter dated May 15 from his employer, Fluke Corp., advising him of a data breach compromising personal information of employees and other business relationships, such as names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and whether an employee self-identified as having a disability, according to court documents.

The complaint also alleges that Fluke Corp. did not provide a timely notice that the victim’s information was vulnerable to access by a ransomware group and what type of information was accessed.

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents someone from accessing their computer files, systems or networks unless they pay a ransom.

The data breach occurred in 2025 between Aug. 10 and Oct. 7, court document said. The company completed its data forensics analysis on May 8.

Fluke Corp. did not begin mailing out its notice letters until just under eight months after it discovered the breach on Sept. 29, 2025, court documents said.

Since the breach, the employee who filed the complaint has received an increase in unwanted calls, texts and emails, which are believed to be caused by the breach, court documents said.

The complaint alleges that if Fluke Corp. officials properly monitored their network, they would have discovered the breach sooner.

The notice letter did not include who the cybercriminals were, the cause of the breach, which third-party application was exploited or what measures were taken to prevent another breach, court documents said.

Now, those impacted must closely monitor their financial accounts since access to the stolen information could lead to data thieves taking out loans, obtaining falsified driver’s licenses, or filing fraudulent tax returns and medical claims, court documents said.

The complaint is asking for monetary relief and improvements to Fluke Corp.’s “data security systems, future annual audits, and adequate credit monitoring services” funded by the company, court documents said. At the time of filing, Fluke Corp. had offered 24 months of credit monitoring services while the complaint requests at least 10 years.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan