Hackers used stolen credentials to access Home Depot computer system
Hackers who targeted The Home Depot were able to get into the company's computer system by using a username and password stolen from a contractor, and ended up accessing even more information than first thought.
Starting in April, the hackers installed malware on self-checkout registers, and took information from 56 million credit and debit cards, USA Today reports. The Home Depot announced Thursday that the hackers were also able to get 53 million e-mail addresses, although the company says that they did not include passwords, credit card information, or personal information.
So far, this data breach has cost the company $62 million.
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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