Citigroup says hackers accessed data from 200K bank accounts

Citigroup on Thursday said that computer hackers broke into the bank’s network and accessed data on 200,000 North American bank card holders.

The names of customers, account numbers, and contact information, including email addresses, were viewed in the breach. Citi told Reuters that “social security number, date of birth, card expiration date and card security code were not compromised”.

The high-profile data breach is the latest cyber attack on a major company, following attacks on Sony, Google, and Lockheed Martin. It makes you wonder just how vulnerable other companies holding your data are to similar attacks.

A Citi spokesman noted that the breach affected just 1 percent of North American card customers, which total 21 million. The bank said it would be contacting customers whose data was accessed and would implement “enhanced procedures to prevent a recurrence of this type of event.”

U.S. government officials have recently started to address cyber attacks in a more serious manner. Yesterday, FBI director Robert Mueller told Congress that the bureau plans to increase its focus on cyber attacks. The Pentagon also recently weighed in on cyber attacks and said that if a hacker attack produces “death, damage, destruction or high-level disruption that a traditional military attack would cause,” then the attack could by considered an act of war and merit retaliation by force.

Are you a Citi customer? Does this data breach make you want to switch banks?