A few days ago we wrote about the Epsilon fiasco, which is said to have affected Marks and Spencer customers, probably owing to the Windows machines getting cracked (as they so often do). What we didn't know at the time is that this was the "biggest name and email address heist in US history". To quote The Inquirer:
BIG US BANKS JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and US Bank are just three of the companies affected by a massive data breach at online marketing firm Epsilon.
These are just a few of the companies that do business with Epsilon, which said in a statement that its clients "were exposed by an unauthorised entry into Epsilon's email system".
Epsilon is a firm that sends billions of emails ads each year to people who register their interest at its customers' websites or give their email addresses when shopping. At the moment it is unclear how many people have been affected, but Reuters claimed "it could be one of the biggest such data breaches in US history".
What’s being described as a “massive” security breach at email marketing firm Epsilon has compromised the customer names and emails of some of the largest companies in the US, including seven of Fortune’s top 10 institutions, reports SecurityWeek.
Epsilon reportedly sends out 40 billion emails each year for more than 2,500 clients. SecurityWeek reports that clients of Epsilon affected by the infiltration include: TiVo, US Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Verizon, Capital One, Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, Citi, Brookstone, McKinsey & Co., New York & Co, Kroger and Walgreens.