Hackers have stolen 4.2 millioncredit and debit card detailsfrom a
US supermarket chain by swiping the data during payment
authorisation transmissions in stores.
The theft took place at the Hannaford Brothers and Sweetbay
outlets in the eastern US.
"The
stolen data was limited to credit and debit card numbers and
expiration dates, and was illegally accessed from our computer
systems during transmission of card authorisation," said Hannaford
chief executive Ron Hodge on the company website.
Hannaford is reported to have become aware of the theft at the
end of February, but it is believed the data could have been stolen
as far back as last December.
Although only credit card numbers and expiration dates were
stolen, not the associated names and addresses, as many as 1,800
fraud incidents have been linked to the theft.
The world's largest hack of credit card numbers was at the TJX
group of companies in 2005, which affected 94 million card
holders.