Hack attack: Home Depot says 53 million customer email addresses stolen
Latest hacking separate from theft of details of 56 million credit cards
As if the theft of credit and debit card data wasn't bad enough, Home Depot has now revealed hackers have stole 53 million customer email addresses.
The largest US home-improvement chain had announced the massive, months-long breach of 56 million debit and credit cards in September, but the email thefts were only disclosed on Thursday.
The breach at Home Depot surpassed the pre-Christmas 2013 data theft at Target, which compromised 40 million credit and debit cards and hurt sales and profits. Since late last year, US chain stores Michaels, SuperValu and Neiman Marcus have been among a string of retailers to have reported similar breaches, but they were smaller.
While shoppers appear to accept the hacks, the breaches are forcing changes in retailing.
Target's breach pushed US banks, retailers and card companies to increase security by speeding the adoption of microchips in credit and debit cards, which supporters say are more secure. Home Depot reiterated on Thursday that it would be activating chip-enabled checkout terminals at all of its US stores by the end of this year.
The file containing the email addresses did not contain passwords or other personal information, according to Home Depot.
However, it warned customers to be on guard against phishing scams.