Home Depot’s credit card security breach that lasted from April to September of this year has affected 56 million customers, the company announced on Thursday.
The retailer began investigating a potential cyber-attack in early September, confirming the attack on September 8. Home Depot reports that the malware has been removed from the computer system.
With reports that 56 million credit cards were impacted, this attack is even bigger than the security breach that Target faced during the holiday season in 2013 when 40 million people were affected.
Home Depot’s press release says that the malware was unique and custom-built, though contradicting reports that said that the attack used the same malware as the Target breach.
The press release also said that “enhanced encryption of payment data” has been enacted at all of Home Depot’s U.S. locations.
Frank Blake, the company’s chairman and CEO, apologized to customers for any anxiety or inconvenience caused by the cyber-attack and assured customers that they would not be liable for charges made under fraudulent circumstances.
Customers who used a credit card at Home Depot during the time of the cyber-attack can get free credit monitoring and other identify protection services. Go to Home Depot’s website or call 1-800-HOMEDEPOT.
It’s important for consumers to monitor their credit cards and account activity closely following cyber-attacks like this one to make sure that they aren’t getting any fraudulent charges.
Monitoring credit cards and bank accounts year-round can help keep consumers informed about the safety of their accounts. This can be especially helpful for finding potential cyber-attacks before they are widely publicized.
