Dixons Carphone admits massive new data breach
CYBER attack victims Dixons Carphone last night assured customers there had so far been no fraud after 5.9 million bank card details and 1.2 million personal data records were hacked.
The retailer, which also owns Currys, revealed that while 5.8 million of the payment cards targeted were protected by chip and pin, around 105,000 non-EU cards without chip and pin protection were compromised.
Dixons Carphone said relevant card companies had been notified and so far there was no evidence of fraud on the cards. Its investigation had also found that hackers accessed non-financial personal data – such as name, address or email details – from 1.2 million customer records. The group has called in cyber experts and added extra security to its systems following the breach. The company’s chief executive Alex Baldock admitted the group had “fallen short” of its responsibility to protect customer data. Dixons Carphone shares fell as much as four per cent soon after the London market opened. Mr Baldock said: “We are extremely disappointed and sorry for any upset this may cause.
“The protection of our data has to be at the heart of our business, and we’ve fallen short here.”
The National Crime Agency said it is working with the National Cyber Security Centre, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Dixons Carphone was fined £400,000 by the ICO in January after a 2015 cyber attack exposed the personal data of more than three million customers.
Because the latest data breach began in July last year, Dixons are likely to escape the multi-million pound fines available under the recently introduced European General Data Protection Regulation rules.