Biggest credit card heist has been going on for years!
At least 45.7 million credit and debit card
numbers were stolen by hackers who accessed the computer systems at the TJX Cos.
at its headquarters in Framingham and in the United Kingdom over a period of
several years. That's, uh, TJ MAXX, folks.
The gift that keeps giving!
At least 45.7 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen by hackers who accessed the computer systems at the TJX Cos. at its headquarters in Framingham and in the United Kingdom over a period of several years, making it the biggest breach of personal data ever reported, according to security specialists.
While details are still sketchy, TJX said unauthorized software placed on its computer systems stole at least 100 files containing data on millions of accounts from systems that process and store transaction information in Framingham and Watford, United Kingdom. Moreover, TJX believes the hackers last year had the capability to steal payment card data from its Framingham system as transactions were being approved. Even the files TJX tried to protect through encryption may have been compromised because the company believes the hackers had access to the decryption tool.
The disclosure yesterday comes days after a ring of thieves was arrested in Florida and charged with using stolen credit card numbers to buy more than $8 million worth of gift cards and electronics, allegedly using data from TJX.
While TJX “thinks” this started in 2005, the worm may have been planted in their system as far back as 2002. Because the crooks stole the info on transactions - just before the data was normally destroyed, the amount of transaction data stolen appears to be a best guess - at a minimum number.
Posted: Thu - March 29, 2007 at 06:34 AM