July 27, 2009
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News: Network Solutions Breach
Last week, Network Solutions, a pioneer in creating and marketing web addresses to small businesses, notified their clients of a recent hacker intrusion. According to Network, hackers infiltrated the company's servers and possibly stole over 573,000 debit and credit card information. The breach spanned over a three month period from March 12, 2009 through June 8, 2009. In early June, the company's representatives discovered unauthorized code on its servers which supports the website domains for 4,300 plus of Network's clients, approximately half of the company's customer base, and accessed the debit and credit card information. The malicious code intercepted the credit card and personal information from Network's clients' online customers. Network Solutions says the code was isolated and removed. The company is working with authorities into the investigation of the source of the breach.
Network Solutions, who specializes on meeting the needs of the small business owners, offers a full range of web related services, including website design and hosting, e-commerce solutions, and online security products. The company which is based out of Herndon, VA, and has offices across the country, began notifying its customers via email and the U.S. Postal Service last week. According to legislation in 45 states and the District of Columbia, the company is required to notify its customers any time the possibility exists that customers' credit card and personal information has been compromised. In addition to notifying its own clients, Network Solutions has offered to accept the responsibility and cost of notifying their clients' debit and credit card customers.
The lack of a standard set of federal data breach laws is an added burden for the company's clients. A spokesperson for Network Solutions stated that the company feels very badly about the breach and hopes to relieve their clients of as much burden as possible. Therefore, Network Solutions is offering to incur the cost for one year of credit monitoring through the TransUnion credit reporting bureau for each affected debit and credit card customer.