“Office-supply retailer Staples Inc. said about 1.16 million payment cards might have been affected by the data breach announced in October,” Yashaswini Swamynathan reports for Reuters.
“An investigation by external data security experts showed that criminals deployed malware to some point-of-sales systems at 115 U.S. stores, Staples said,” Swamynathan reports. “At 113 stores, the malware may have allowed access to data for purchases from Aug. 10 through Sept. 16. At two stores, the access may have been for purchases from July 20 through Sept. 16.”
“Staples became the latest U.S. retailer to combat security data breaches after Sears Holdings Corp. said in October it was the victim of a cyberattack that likely resulted in the theft of some customer payment cards at its Kmart stores,” Swamynathan reports. “The company said it has since eradicated the malware.”
Read more in the full article here.
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Entrepreneur warns retailers, restaurants, bars: Do not wait, jump on the Apple Pay bandwagon ASAP – November 5, 2014
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I’m now using ApplePay at Staples (Cambridge MA, allegedly not hacked. Guess why?
Cash!
ACCEPTED everywhere!
NEVER tracked or hacked!
Is cash accepted everywhere? No, you will find exceptions to that rule.
Cash can be stolen by a mugger.
What if you are carrying a large amount of cash and get stopped for a traffic infraction? The cops might confiscate the cash as indicative of drug smuggling or whatever. Good luck with your efforts to get it back.
Because no one with an iPhone has ever been mugged. Got it!
You are correct, of course.
But Apple Pay only works with your fingertip on the phone sensor.
Cash doesn’t require that.
Also, cash has no “find my iphone”-like feature.
Never tracked, huh? So what’s with that unique serial number on the front all US cash there for?
To prevent counterfeiting.
I have been using ApplePay since it’s release at Staples, Whole Foods, Stater Brothers, and Macy’s. It has worked flawlessly and the clerks love it because it is so fast. I have also done a couple of merchandise returns that were completed without any problems.
Bottomline- 1.6 million reasons for ApplePay is just the beginning. Personally I think ApplePay will be the “sleeper cell” money maker that will bring more folks to the Apple ecosystem out of a urgent security necessity.
As for SamDung and Google Wallet etc etc etc….those systems have been klunky and the finger ID systems suck.
I’ll say it one mor time – Apple Pay is THE thing making me get my first iPhone.
So. You’re going to buy an iPhone, take on monthly payments to the carrier of your choice, all so you can use for Apple Pay? Brilliant!
Yes, Tod, but the framing of your question, which implies that one would take on the monthly payments for an iPhone just for Apple Pay is wrong. If you can assume that the individual has already made the decision to get a cell phone, then the availability of Apple Pay, which is unique to the iPhone, could conceivably be the deciding factor for some people to choose it over a competing cell phone brand.
More likely he already has a cell phone and wants to upgrade to an iPhone.
Bryan. orenokoto clearly stated, “Apple Pay is THE thing making me get my first iPhone.” No need to imply or assume anything. Bryan was crystal clear — he is buying his FIRST iPhone so he can use Apple Pay. In any other context I would agree with you, but not in this one.
I make it a point to use Apple Pay whenever possible. I just wish more retailers had NFC set up.
——RM
Keep in mind that the TYPE of card used in these Windows XP Embedded POS (point of sale) device breaches has NOTHING to do with the problem. The problem specifically is:
1) Windows XP Embedded is so easy to hack.
2) Once the card (of any type) is read, the data is stored IN THE CLEAR inside the RAM of the device, easily read and then transferred to hackers by the POS malware.
That’s the story! The only solution is to destroy the Windows Embedded POS machine. The end. Everything else being said about the matter is faerie tales.