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'Massive' Data Breach May Have Hit MasterCard, Visa

10M cards may be affected

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 30, 2012 10:07 AM CDT

(Newser) – MasterCard is investigating a feared security breach linked to a credit-card processor in the US, it says; Visa has reportedly launched a similar investigation. While the companies are mum about the extent of the problem, financial insiders tell Krebs on Security it's "massive," potentially involving 10 million cards. MasterCard says it has notified law enforcement as well as issuing banks about "certain MasterCard accounts that are potentially at risk," the Wall Street Journal reports. Visa is also notifying banks, according to Krebs.

Banks themselves are trying to track down the processor behind the breach; the compromised cards appear to have been used at New York City-area parking garages, sources tell Krebs. An independent security firm is also on the case, MasterCard says. The data breach occurred between Jan. 21 and Feb. 25, reports Krebs; the site suggests that the info taken could be used to make counterfeit cards.

MasterCard and Visa are both looking into a possible security breach.
MasterCard and Visa are both looking into a possible security breach.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
KristinWard
Aug 1, 2012 1:04 PM CDT
The company I work for just started using  http://turtlewings.com/ for computer recycling after a donation to a library resulted in a data breach. However seeing articles like this make me wonder what the point is. If companies like mastercard or sony for that matter can't keep people out of their systems then it seems like a kind of hopeless battle. I guess the best one can hope for now a days is to minimize the risk. Because it is clearly impossible to keep them completely out.
TiredMemeCat
Mar 31, 2012 12:11 PM CDT
Anyone else flash on the coda of Fight Club when reading about this?
Observer
Mar 30, 2012 12:05 PM CDT
I wondered why my Mastercard showed $483,256.14 in new charges.
 

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