Cybersecurity

As Target data breach reaches 70 million customers, state AGs investigate

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Corrected: Attorneys general in Massachusetts and New York announced Friday that they with other states are investigating the Target Corp. data breach, which resulted in millions of consumers having personal data stolen by cyber criminals.

The Connecticut attorney general’s office is also investigating the security breach, Reuters reports.

“We are actively engaged in investigating this matter with colleagues across the country and will be looking at these new and serious aspects disclosed by Target today as part of that investigation,” said Jaclyn Falkowski, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut agency.

According to the article, at least 70 million Target customers had personal data stolen between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15. The information included phone numbers and email addresses, which, in these situations, are typically sold for use in email phishing campaigns.

Previously, Target estimated that data was stolen from 40 million credit and debit cards, Reuters reports.

“I know that it is frustrating for our guests to learn that this information was taken, and we are truly sorry they are having to endure this,” Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel said in a statement Friday.

Updated on Jan. 13 to remove an inadvertent dollar sign in the headline. The figure 70 million refers to the number of customers affected.

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