Canadians Can Now Freak Out About Home Depot Hack

Earlier today, I posted a story about the confirmation of the hack of Home Depot and the theft of 60 million credit card numbers. I also mentioned that Canadians MAY not have anything to worry about but they should check their credit card statements closely.

I’m here to say they now can officially start worrying. Here’s what the Toronto Star has to say:

Security researcher Brian Krebs, who first reported the attack last week, said on Tuesday that the stolen data, which can be used to make fake cards, is available for sale online. Cards issued by all of the big five Canadian banks — RBC, TD, CIBC, BMO and Scotiabank — are listed on at least one website selling hacked credit card information.

Well, that’s just craptastic. Clearly this isn’t going to end well for anyone involved. Here’s what’s worse:

An RBC spokesperson on Tuesday would not confirm whether any of its customers were affected. “We are aware of the breach and have taken the necessary precautions to identify and minimize any potential impacts on our clients,” RBC spokesperson Andrew Block said.

Customers will not have to pay for any potential fraudulent transactions, he said. The bank is recommending that customers monitor their accounts closely for signs of unauthorized use.

TD said on Tuesday that they would not comment on the attack or whether any client cards were affected.

CIBC, Scotiabank and BMO did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

None of that inspires any confidence. I would have hoped that the five banks involved would have said something more substantial. Hopefully, they will have the backs of Canadians on this.

 

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