Fergie's Tech Blog

Wells Fargo Codes Used to Illegally Access Consumer Data

Jaikumar Vijayan writes on ComputerWorld:

Wells Fargo Bank NA is in the process of notifying some 7,000 individuals that a thief may have accessed their Social Security numbers and other personal information by illegally using the financial services firm's access codes.

The bank learned of the compromise on July 1 when MicroBilt Corp., a reseller of consumer data, notified it of suspicious transactions made using the Wells Fargo access codes, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco-based bank said today. The codes are used by Wells Fargo employees to gain access to consumer credit data.

She said the records belonged to "random individuals," only a small number of whom were Wells Fargo customers.

The compromise was first reported by The Breach Blog, which posted a link to a July 31 letter sent by Wells Fargo to New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte notifying her that nine state residents were affected by the breach.

posted by Fergie @ 8/11/2008 05:04:00 PM