[telecom] MasterCard, VISA Warn of Processor Breach

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MasterCard, VISA Warn of Processor Breach

Brian Krebs March 30, 2012

VISA and MasterCard are alerting banks across the country about a recent major breach at a U.S.-based credit card processor. Sources in the financial sector are calling the breach "massive," and say it may involve more than 10 million compromised card numbers.

In separate non-public alerts sent late last week, VISA and MasterCard began warning banks about specific cards that may have been compromised. The card associations stated that the breached credit card processor was compromised between Jan. 21, 2012 and Feb.

Neither VISA nor MasterCard have said which U.S.-based processor was the source of the breach. But affected banks are now starting to analyze transaction data on the compromised cards, in hopes of finding a common point of purchase. Sources at two different major financial institutions said the transactions that most of the cards they analyzed seem to have in common are that they were used in parking garages in and around the New York City area.

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New credit card data breach revealed

by Avivah Litan March 30, 2012

Just when we thought the big credit card data breaches were over, at least for a while (with Alberto Gonzalez put away after his scams at TJX, Heartland Payments and others) - along comes a new one reported today in

Visa and MasterCard have already issued warnings on this. I've spoken with folks in the card business who are seeing signs of this breach mushroom. Looks like the hackers have started using the stolen card data more recently. From what I hear, the breach involves a taxi and parking garage company in the New York City area so if you've paid a NYC cab in the last few months with your credit or debit card - be sure to check your card statements for possible fraud.

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