Homeland Security: More than 1,000 U.S. Companies Hacked Using 'Backoff' Malware

On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an "infection assessment" of malware it had warned merchants of several weeks ago that estimates more than 1,000 U.S. businesses have been compromised by the malware known as Backoff. DHS, along with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, the United States Secret Service and the Financial Sector Information Sharing and Analysis Center warned companies about the malware that enables hackers to gain entry into merchants' POS systems back on July 31.
Since then the parent of supermarket chain Albertsons and its former owner, along with UPS stores have publicly reported intrusions that have compromised the payment-card information of their customers, but the breaches apparently are much more extensive. DHS said seven POS vendors "have confirmed to government agencies they have had multiple clients affected," meaning the total number of intrusions, both known and unknown is much higher.
"The Secret Service currently estimates that over 1,000 U.S. businesses are affected," DHS said in its assessment.