Cybercriminals Take Bite out of O’Charley’s
National restaurant chain O’Charley’s announced it suffered a security breach that may have exposed diners’ payment card information during a three-week period starting in mid-March. O’Charley’s discovered malware installed in its POS systems that could have enabled hackers to obtain cardholders’ names and card numbers between March 18 and April 8, when the breach was detected, according to a notice posted on the company’s Website. The chain, which has more than 200 locations in 17 states, said it “immediately began an investigation and engaged a leading third-party cybersecurity firm to assist.”
After the breach was announced, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens issued a consumer protection alert calling on the state’s residents to monitor their credit card and bank accounts to ensure their financial information was not compromised by the breach.
The O’Charley’s announcement came soon after another fast-casual restaurant chain, Noodle & Company, revealed it was investigating reports of suspicious activity involving payment cards at some of its locations. Earlier this year, fast food giant Wendy’s said it had discovered malware on POS systems at around 300 of the chain’s 5,500 North American locations. Other restaurant chains, including P.F. Chang’s, Dairy Queen and Jimmy John’s, also have suffered POS attacks in recent years.
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