MIS 200 Homework Assignment
Homework 5 (MIS 200) [Extra Credit: 15 points]
Describe what can organizations do to protect themselves from hackers looking to steal account
data including the types of technology that could be used to prevent identity thieves from
stealing information? (2-3 paragraphs)
Based upon Chapter 6: Ethics & Information Security from our text book…
In the days prior to Thanksgiving 2013, someone installed malware in Target’s
(www.target.com) security and payments system designed to steal every credit card used at the
company’s 1,797 U.S. stores. At the critical moment – when the Christmas gifts had been
scanned and bagged and the cashier asked for a swipe – the malware would step in, capture the
shopper’s credit card number, and store it on a Target server commandeered by the hackers. You
can go through the following two links to read more about this attack.
• http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/22/news/companies/target-credit-card-hack/
• http://www.securityweek.com/target-confirms-point-sale-malware-was-used-attack
More than 90 lawsuits have been filed against Target by customers and banks for negligence and
compensatory damages. That’s on top of other costs, which analysts estimate could run into the
billions. Target spent $ 61 million through February 1, 2014, responding to the breach,
according to its fourth-quarter report to investors.
