In 2013, Target suffered a monumental cyber attack that exposed the payment card information of 41 million customers along with the contact information for approximately another 70 million. This attack was orchestrated through a spear phishing campaign targeted at a third-party vendor. By securing credentials from this vendor, the attackers gained access to Target's network. Over a two-month period, malware installed within the system collected vast amounts of customer data. The breach not only led to the departure of Target's CEO but also incurred substantial financial costs for the company. Target resolved claims across the country by paying fines totaling $18.5 million. Including the expenses for remediation efforts, consulting services, and other associated payments, the total cost of the breach approximated $290 million. This incident underscores the vital importance of cybersecurity vigilance and the necessity for robust protection measures to safeguard against sophisticated cyber threats.
Source: https://arcticwolf.com/resources/blog/10-major-retail-industry-cyber-attacks/
"id": "tar700050724",
"linkid": "target",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "07/2023",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"