In a large-scale hack rivaling Target’s infamous holiday season scandal, arts and crafts retailer, Michaels, admits to a security breach affecting at least 3 million consumers. Although the exact circumstances are still under investigation, experts believe that faulty point of sale systems — or POS systems — are the most likely culprit.
Three Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen
“The breach at Michaels’ namesake stores occurred between May 8, 2013, and Jan. 27, 2014,” Fox News explains. “According to the company, only some point-of-sale systems at a varying number of stores were affected over that period, and a small percentage of payment cards used in those stores were compromised.” Michaels revealed that there is very little evidence to investigate. Company representatives described the hack as “highly sophisticated,” Fox News continues. Michaels adds that the security breach has been contained, and consumers have no reason to fear future identity theft.
What Is The Silver Lining (If Any)?
Perhaps the lone silver lining in the otherwise regrettable situation is that Michaels, unlike Target, does not sell healthcare products or prescription drugs. Breaches of pharmacy point of sale systems are especially precarious. An inaccurate pharmacy point of sale system can result in critical inventory shortages — shortages that have, in some hospital environments, ultimately resulted in fatalities.
How can a faulty POS system kill people? An Ohio hospital’s digitized system failed years ago, affecting the hospital pharmacy’s wares. As a result, an inexperienced pharmacy technician chose a custom chemotherapy bag — instead of using a prepared one. The custom bag contained 23.4% sodium chloride. A prepared bag would have contained less than 1%. The overdose proved fatal to toddler Emily Jerry, just two years old at the time of her death.
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