Barnes & Noble Security Breach Exposed Customer Info, But Not Credit Card Numbers

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An October 10th attack gave hackers “unauthorized and unlawful” access to Barnes & Noble’s corporate data, according to an email sent to the company’s customers. Barnes & Noble believes customer data was exposed (but not necessarily leaked) in the attack. Credit card numbers were not exposed, thanks to a layer of encryption.

In its email, Barnes & Noble hints that the cybersecurity attack targeted in-store and online retail systems. Customer transaction history was potentially exposed, along with shipping addresses, emails, billing addresses, and phone numbers. The hack also affected Barnes & Noble’s digital Nook storefront and caused in-store computers to balk while processing orders, the company confirms in its email.

Credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords were not exposed in the data breach. Still, bad actors can do a lot of damage with just your billing address, email, and other information exposed in this breach. Hackers often sell this information on the black market, as it can contribute to full “profiles” that include everything you need to steal an identity.

Bares & Noble says that customers may receive spam emails if their information was exposed or leaked. As always, you should keep an eye on your bank accounts and regularly check for any changes to your credit report (you can check it for free on your phone).

Source: Barnes & Noble via Business Insider