Hackers Access 5.9M Payment Cards and 1.2M Personal Records
- Dixons Carphone admits to customer data breach
- Hackers gained access to 5.9 million payment cards and 1.2 million personal data records
- Breach began in July last year
- Affected Currys PC World and Dixons Travel stores
- Investigation ongoing
- No evidence of fraudulent card use yet
- 105,000 cards without chip-and-pin protection at risk
- Dixons Carphone shares decreased more than 3% in early trading
Electronics retailer Dixons Carphone has admitted to a data breach in which hackers gained access to 5.9 million payment cards and 1.2 million personal data records. The breach, which began in July last year, targeted one of the processing systems of Currys PC World and Dixons Travel stores. The company discovered the attempt a week ago and stated that there is no connection with any previous incidents. While nearly all cards were protected by chip-and-pin, 105,000 cards without this security feature are at risk of being leaked. Shares in Dixons Carphone dropped more than 3% in early trading following the announcement.
Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate information about the data breach, its timeline, and the company’s response without any sensationalism or personal opinions. It also includes relevant details about the potential risk to unprotected cards and the impact on the company’s shares.
Noise Level: 4
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about a data breach at Dixons Carphone and its potential impact on customers’ payment cards and personal data. It also mentions the company’s response to the incident and its shares’ performance after the announcement. However, it could have included more details on how the hackers gained access to the system and what measures are being taken to prevent future breaches.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Dixons Carphone shares
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses a data breach at electronics retailer Dixons Carphone, which impacted their stock prices and potentially affected customer payment cards. This is relevant to financial topics as it involves a company’s financial performance and market impact.
Presence Of Extreme Event: a
Nature Of Extreme Event: Financial Crisis (stock market crash, bankruptcy of a major corporation, currency devaluation, etc.)
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: Although there was a data breach and decrease in the company’s shares, it is not considered severe due to no evidence of fraudulent card use and the number of affected cards being relatively small compared to other financial crises.
www.retailsector.co.uk