What if a major retailer made a large investment in anti-malware software to protect its information systems, finally put the new program in place, and then ignored the warnings that the new system gave? That’s what sources tell Bloomberg Businessweek is what happened in the weeks before Target’s massive payment information breach. Target could have stopped the breach, or even ended it before baddies could get hold of customer data. [More]
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Card Canceled After Target Data Breach Hit With Fraudulent Charge Anyway
By 3.12.14
The massive holiday season Target data breach is the gift that just keeps on giving consumers more headaches. Replacing a compromised card may not be enough to prevent fraud, it turns out: criminals may still be able to charge purchases to your old account even if you thought it was closed. [More]
Consumer Reports Talks To Target, Cleans Up Detergent Label
By 3.11.14
You might look at a bottle of laundry detergent and idly wonder whether the bottle really contains 96 loads’ worth of soap. Then you probably keep on using the soap and forget that you ever questioned the wisdom of the label. Fortunately, our clean and fresh colleagues over at Consumer Reports have a calculator and a mission to save us all from inaccurate dosing caps. [More]
Swatch Sues Target, Claims Retailer Copied Designs
By 3.11.14
Last week, Swatch filed a federal lawsuit accusing discount retailer Target of stealing its designs. Wait…Swatch is still a thing? Plastic watches are still a thing? Target sells plastic watches? This ’80s revival really has gone too far. [More]
Target Chief Information Officer Resigns, Totally Not Because Of Data Breach
By 3.5.14
As of today, Target’s chief information officer has resigned. Beth Jacob had been on the job since 2008, and is leaving before the company reorganizes its information security leadership and staff after the massive holiday season breach that hit a mind-boggling number of accounts and still has day-to-day consequences for customers. [More]
Target CEO Promises “Eye-Popping Irresistible Deals” After Profits Destroyed By Data Breach
By 2.26.14
Earlier today, Target released the eagerly anticipated earnings info for the financial quarter ending Feb. 1. As expected, the massive data breach that saw some 110 million customers’ info stolen by hackers had a disastrous effect on the bottom line for the retailer. [More]
After Target Breach, Banks Are Way Behind In Reissuing New Cards
By 2.25.14
The baddies behind the recent Target payment data breach are selling off card data at fire-sale prices and cranking out cards that can be used in the real world, some of the people whose card numbers were breached have a long wait to get their new cards issued. [More]
Target Clarifies Confusing Sign: Cleaning Products Are 50% Off, Not Free
By 2.20.14
We are thankful to Target, because they have alleviated our existential angst. Okay, it’s their weird signage that caused the existential angst in the first place, but we’re still very happy that they cleared things up for us, for our readers, and for Target shoppers everywhere. [More]
Millions Of Credit Cards Stolen From Target Being Sold At Closeout Prices
By 2.20.14
Like scalpers who drop their asking prices as game time approaches, black market sellers of credit card numbers stolen during last December’s massive data breach at Target are now offering this ill-gotten information at rock-bottom prices. [More]
Consumers Turning To One-Stop-Shop Stores Rather Than Traditional Grocery Stores
By 2.19.14
When I was growing up, my mom would do our family’s grocery shopping at several different stores. She’d purchase fresh produce at one, meat at another and non-perishable items like cleaning supplies at another. Today, she only goes to one store. She’s part of a growing trend of consumers frequenting big box stores rather than traditional grocers to mark off items on their grocery list. [More]
Is This Target Add-On Item 50% Off Or Free? Neither
By 2.18.14
Do you remember this shelf tag at Target? It showed us that even the most mundane cleaning-product sale can trigger an existential crisis. The sign promises a free cleaning product if you buy a broom, and also 50% off that same cleaning product. Is the Clorox product 50% off? Is it free? Where am I? Is this real life? [More]
Police: Headphone Thieves Dressed Up As Target Workers, Choked Employee
By 2.12.14
If you saw someone at Target wearing a red shirt and khakis, would you pay attention to what they were carrying? Probably not, since they’d just appear to be hard-working employees. According to police, that’s how two men were able to infiltrate a Colorado Target store, steal pricey headphones, and escape through an emergency exit. [More]
Target Math: Dunkin’ Donuts Edition
By 2.7.14
Quick, which bag of coffee would you rather buy? Twelve ounces for $6.99, or twenty-four ounces for $16.99? Reader Mike spotted this piece of traditional Target math at a store in Hawaii. [More]
Visa, MasterCard To End Swipe-And-Sign By 2015
By 2.7.14
Goodbye credit card signatures and hello PIN numbers. In a move that could better protect consumers from massive security breaches, major credit card companies are looking to implement a chip-and-PIN system instead of the tired and true swipe-and-sign method used across the country. [More]
Target HVAC Vendor Provides Info On Connection To Data Breach
By 2.7.14
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the hackers behind the massive breach of Target’s in-store payment system were able to access the retailer’s network through one of its heating, cooling and ventilation vendors. That company is now providing more information about the attack. [More]
Credentials Used For Target Hack Reportedly Stolen From HVAC Vendor
By 2.5.14
When it was first revealed that the hackers who compromised Target’s in-store payment processing system had used stolen vendor credentials to breach the retailer’s network, many probably assumed that the vendor was some sort of IT or security consultant. But a new report from cybersecurity expert and journalist Brian Krebs says it appears that the entry point into the system was through a refrigeration, heating and cooling company in Pennsylvania. [More]
Secret Service: Hackers Behind Target Attack Used Specially Designed, Sophisticated Malware
By 2.5.14
A House subcommittee that’s looking into the massive theft of Target customers’ personal and financial information heard from a Secret Service official who says that the hackers responsible had been preparing long and hard for the “highly technical” attack, using sophisticated malware that likely was designed specially to infiltrate Target’s system. [More]
Massive Data Breaches Could Lead To Americans Finally Getting Smarter Credit Cards
By 2.4.14
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony today from Target’s chief financial officer about the massive data breach that hit the company during the holiday shopping season last year. [More]
