Target Security Breach

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Target Security Breach
Hacking into large companies or agencies to steal one’s card information has become simple. Lewis (2013) says that, “Hacking is incredibly easy; survey data consistently shows that 80 to 90 percent of successful breaches of corporate networks required only the most basic techniques“(p. 1). On November 27, 2013, Target’s security was breeched when forty million credit and debit cards were stolen. The breach lasted from November 27 to December 15, 2013.
The security breach involved most of the Target stores in the U.S. Along with the card numbers, debit card pins, buyer’s names, and personal information were stolen as well. Some customers filed a lawsuit against Target for “failing to protect customer data.” (Demarche, 2013. p.1). Later, Target CEO Steinhafel stated, “I know that it is frustrating for our guests to learn that this information was taken, and we are truly sorry they are having to endure this.” After Steinhafel issued his apology he doubled the amount of employees to take phone calls from customers, as well as give a ten percent discount to those who shopped on the 28th and 29th of December.
With Target handling the security breach as best as they could, investigators and the Department of Justice are trying to figure out how the security breach happened. Upon investigation, it is believed that “the data was obtained via software installed on machines that customers use to swipe magnetic strips on their cards when paying merchandise…”(Reuters, 2013. p.1). Even though investigators provided the theory above, they are still unsure of how the cyber criminals were able to take so many card numbers from almost all the Target stores. The investigators and feds are still looking into how and who stol...

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Johnson, K., (February 11, 2014). Feds investigating Target data breach. Retrieved fromhttp://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/29/target -data- breach-holder/5024739/
Lewis. J., (February 12, 2013). Raising the bar for cybersecurity. Retrieved from http://www.serc1.org/Documents/CIPC%20(Critical%20Infrastructure%20Protect ion%20Committee)/Articles%20for%20Awareness/Raising%20the%20Bar%20fo r%20Cybersecurity%20-%20White%20Paper.pdf
Reuters., (December 18, 2013). Target customers hit in major credit card security breach. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/taget-customers- hit-in- major-credit-card-security-breach/
Weisbaum, H., (December 27, 2013). 5 Lessons learned from Target security breach. Retrieved from http://www.today.com/money/5-lessons-learned-target- security-breach-2D11803343

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