Learning From the Heartland Credit Card Breach

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Three suspected hackers are now facing federal charges in connection with the largest identity theft case ever to reach America's courts. The men are accused of breaking into the files of Heartland Payment Systems, the world's ninth largest credit processing company, and stealing more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers.

One of the men is a 28-year-old from Miami named Albert Gonzalez. The other two suspects are identified only as being from somewhere in Russia.

Data Hacking History

If Gonzalez's name sounds familiar, there's a reason: He's been tied to other large-scale data theft cases in the past. Gonzalez was charged in the theft of more than 40 million credit card numbers from TJ Maxx, Barnes & Noble, and other companies last summer. He's also accused in the theft of thousands of cards from Dave & Buster's in 2007. According to the Associated Press, Gonzalez is currently in jail awaiting that trial, which is set to begin next month.

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