Kmart’s online operations have been hacked in a security breach that exposed some customers’ personal information according to Fairfax Media. An email sent to a Kmart online customer on September 30 advised that her account had been compromised during an “external privacy breach”.
According to Fairfax, the email said the data stolen was limited to “name, email address, delivery and billing address, telephone number and product purchase details”. It appeared no credit card data was stolen.
It appears that the company moved quickly to stop any further information being accessed as soon as the breach became known.
The email details that Kmart has engaged leading IT forensic investigators to thoroughly review the incident
Meanwhile, Fairfax said that a company statement advised the breach only impacted a selection of customers who have shopped online with Kmart Australia and that all customers that had been affected had been contacted directly.
“If customers have not received a message from Kmart Australia regarding this situation, they have not been impacted,” the statement said adding that the company has contacted the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Australian Federal Police for help with the investigation.
Kmart’s US operations were hacked last year, exposing customers’ credit and debit card numbers. Kmart in Australia is a company wholly owned by Wesfarmers and unrelated to the Kmart in the US, which is owned by the Sears Holdings Corporation.