UK-based retailer WH Smith recently announced a data breach that has potentially affected thousands of its customers. The company has released a statement confirming the incident and has taken steps to rectify the situation. Here is what you need to know about the WH Smith data breach.
On January 28, 2022, WH Smith discovered a cyber attack that had resulted in unauthorized access to its systems. The company’s IT team immediately took action to contain the attack and launched an investigation to determine the extent of the breach.
After conducting a thorough investigation, WH Smith confirmed that the data breach had exposed personal information of customers who had made purchases on its website between October 2021 and January 2022. The stolen data includes names, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers, and payment card information.
The company stated that the security of its customers’ information is of the utmost importance and has since taken steps to improve its cybersecurity protocols to prevent future incidents. It has also notified the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and is working with the authorities to investigate the breach.
The number of customers affected by the data breach is currently unknown. However, the company has stated that it has contacted all customers who may have been affected and advised them to monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity. WH Smith has also offered free credit monitoring services to affected customers for added protection.
The stolen payment card information includes card numbers, expiration dates, and security codes. The company stated that it did not store any cardholder authentication data, such as PINs or CVVs, and that customers who made purchases in-store were not affected by the breach.
Conclusion:
The WH Smith data breach highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity protocols and the need for companies to take measures to protect their customers’ information. The incident is a reminder for customers to remain vigilant and monitor their accounts for any unusual activity.
UK-based retailer WH Smith recently suffered a data breach that exposed personal information of customers who made purchases on its website between October 2021 and January 2022. The stolen data includes names, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers, and payment card information.
WH Smith, data breach, cybersecurity, customer information, payment card information, unauthorized access, cyber attack, Information Commissioner’s Office, credit monitoring, personal information.
WH Smith, data breach, cybersecurity, customer information, payment card information, cyber attack, Information Commissioner’s Office, credit monitoring, personal information, UK-based retailer.