Zappos Gets Hacked

Sites include zappos.com . Published on January 25th, 2012. Written by Anthony West.

How do hackers make off with data from 24 million people on a retail website without leaving with payment data is beyond me, but according to Zappos, this is precisely what happened.

The popular online retailer was quick to admit the hack, but news that although 24 million customers were affected, no payment data was compromised caused a few sighs among bloggers and tech analysts. Many questioned if Zappos was really just playing damage control for fear of a mass-exodus on news of the worse. So far though, no independent security appraisal of the breach has come forward so we’ll just have to take Zappos word.

If what Zappos says is true, it means that customers only have to worry about a few details of their security status with the site. According to the email sent out to employees and customers, the data that may have been compromised includes, “one or more of the following: your name, e-mail address, billing and shipping addresses, phone number, the last four digits of your credit card number (the standard information you find on receipts), and/or your cryptographically scrambled password (but not your actual password).”

For hackers this must be seen as a spectacular hit, because 24 million paying customers are usually protected well. Zappos too, must feel a bit like the emperor without his clothes and scrambling I am sure, to patch things up with its customers.

Were you affected by the Zappos hacking? Share your thoughts on it below.