Thoughts on Target’s Data Breach

“Target says that about 40 million customer debit and credit accounts may have been affected by a data breach.

If you think yours was one of the 40 million credit or debit cards involved in a data breach at Target, security experts recommend a policy of watching and waiting: Watch the account you used at the retailer on a daily basis, and wait, because there’s no telling when it will be tapped by thieves.

With the information that was obtained in the data breach between November 27 and December 15 – cardholder names, card numbers and the three-digit security codes – crooks can use them for online transactions or manufacture duplicate cards.”

So I guess this is becoming a way of life.

What are our options:

– Start using cash for everything again

– Buy gift cards in small denominations with cash (or maybe American Express Travellers Checks) and use them to pay for everything

– Track down the perpetrators and shoot them on sight

It’s becoming pretty obvious that no site is safe. Just like termites, there are only two types of businesses in the World. Those that have been hacked, and those that are going to be hacked.

The conspiracy theorist in me says this is being orchestrated by the brick and mortars to drive more business through the door (hard to pay for an Amazon order with cash), but it could potentially have an opposite effect. Just a thought.

I did make a credit card charge at my local Target on December 14th (lucky me), but with my credit limit being so low, I think the bad guys will be looking for bigger fish.