The Latest in IT Security

The massive hack that hit Target in the weeks before Christmas 2013 wouldn’t have been possible without someone actually stealing the credentials of a vendor, Reuters revealed. “The ongoing forensic investigation has indicated that the intruder stole a vendor’s credentials, which were used to access our system,” Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said, without revealing what was taken. Following the theft, hackers managed to compromise Target’s point of sale (POS) systems, taking over 40 million credit and debit cards, including encrypted PINs, and personal information for over 70 million Target customers. The hackers used a malware program that was difficult to detect, which is believed to have been employed in hacking Neiman Marcus as well as other undisclosed businesses in a Target-like