ABSTRACT
In October 2014, Sears Holdings Corp.'s Kmart discount chain said it detected a security breach and was investigating the incident with law enforcement officials. The retailer's information technology team identified the breach on October 9 and worked with a top security firm to assess the incursion, which happened in early September. The Kmart payment data systems were infected with a form of malware that was undetectable by current antivirus systems. Hackers executed the attack by placing malware on the discount retailer's point-of-sale system. Kmart was able to quickly remove the malware; however, they believe that certain debit and credit card numbers have been compromised. Kmart's breach is similar to those announced by Home Depot, Dairy Queen, SuperValu, UPS, and several others during 2014. It heightens concerns about the continued vulnerability of US payment system networks to cyberattacks.
