Up to 38,000 credit cards stolen in Cotton Traders hack
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Hackers steal customer data from clothing company's website
Clothing firm Cotton Traders has confirmed that customers’ addresses and credit card details were stolen during a hack on its website in January.
The store has not confirmed the number of customers affected by the incident, but it is thought to be up to 38,000. The firm said it contacted Barclaycard following the hack, and most of the stolen card numbers were cancelled.
Stolen card details can be used to commit ‘card not present’ fraud, a crime that is booming online and overseas after the introduction of chip-and-pin credit cards in the UK made in-person credit card fraud more difficult. Combined with valid addresses, stolen card information can also be used for identity theft.
The company, founded by former England rugby captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith, said its site’s security had recently been upgraded and the information was encrypted.
“We would like to reassure all our customers that their data is secure and that the Cotton Traders website meets all leading industry security standards,” it said in a statement to the BBC.
Further reading:
IT security is a futile pursuit says IBM There is no future in the security business, says new head of IBM Internet Security Systems.
Data theft is a people issue It is important to understand the legal context for guarding against data theft, says Warren Wayne of law firm Bird & Bird.
Find more stories in the Security & Continuity Briefing Room
