Then, the database, made up of almost 8 million sales records, was published on the web. It was made available on search engines, and anyone was able to access that information without a password. Shoppers’ personal data was reportedly exposed for five days before it was shut down.
Why did this happen?
What does this mean for online shoppers?
So you’ve shopped online using one of these services. What do you do now? To stay in-the-know about how at-risk you are, opt for one of the best identity theft protection services (opens in new tab) and the best computer protection software (opens in new tab). Even if you haven’t used the services listed by Comparitech, it’s a good idea to choose one of these services, which can identify a data breach early on and send you an alert so you can take the right steps to protect your identity before it’s too late. Alternatively, you can opt for one of the best background check services (opens in new tab) through which you can monitor your reputation online for possibly a lower cost. If you’re not sure if you should pay to protect yourself, there are steps you can take right now to decrease the odds that your identity will be stolen. You can enable two-factor authentication, strengthen your passwords, and search for forgotten online accounts, among other ways.
