It’s hard to think that your information could be stolen by making a simple purchase at your favorite fast food restaurant. However, thousands of people recent had to find out the hard way. Over 355,000 credit and debit cards were at risk after a malware breach hit Arby’s cash registers. The incident could have affected hundreds of the fast food chain’s restaurants that were owned the Atlanta Ga based company were hit. It would seem that the franchise wasn’t affected.
The malware breach gave the attackers leeway to steal information from each credit card that came through the cash register. Something similar occurred when mammoth credit card breach that hit Target and Home Depot.
The first reports regarding the attack happened on October 25, 2016, then again on January 19, 2017. It was reported by a credit union service group named PSCU. This could mean that those cards that aren’t part of a credit union have not yet been reported.
Arby’s, on the other hand, commented that once it learned that there had been a breach it started its own investigation. The company hired a security team and altered the police of the breach. It didn’t take long for Arby’s to rid its system of the malware once it was detected.
Security breaches, such as this one, have been called “national nightmares” by Dan Berger who is the CEO of the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions. They have been a continuous plague to many retailers across the country.
Berger told a source, “Last year, the number of data breaches shattered all records and climbed 40% higher than reported in 2015 and there is no sign of the criminals letting up. In 2017, we have already hit 110 breaches, a 36% percent hike over the same time last year.”
When it comes to using your card, even for the smallest purchases, it’s important to make sure you monitor your account for any unusual activity. Arby’s reiterated that “If guests discover any unauthorized charges, they should report them immediately to the bank that issued their card.”
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