Man accused of biggest credit-card breach in U.S. history

According to an article just filed by The Washington Times, the Justice Department has charged a Miami man with perpetrating what is being coined "the largest alleged credit and debit card data breach ever charged in the United States."

The Times reports that Albert Gonzales, 28, is accused of stealing data that affected more than 130 million credit and debit cards. Gonzales, whose nicknames include "soupnazi," targeted 7-Eleven; Heartland Payment Systems; and Hannaford Brothers Co. Inc., a Maine-based supermarket chain.

Along with two unnamed co-conspirators, Gonzales launched an attack on the networks and sent the stolen credit and debit card information to computer servers in California, Illinois, Latvia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. In one earlier case, Gonzales was charged with stealing credit card information after hacking into the computer networks of TJX Corp., a discount chain that operates Marshall's and TJ Maxx stores. He also reportedly infiltrated BJ's Wholesale Club, Barnes & Noble Inc., the Sports Authority, Boston Market restaurants, Office Max, Dave & Buster's restaurants, DSW shoe stores and Forever 21. In that case, he is accused of stealing 40 million credit card numbers.

Gonzalez is being held in New York and faces decades in prison if convicted in all three cases.

Source: ATMMarketPlace.com

SunGard adds corporate actions feed to MarketMap

SunGard has expanded the market data content of MarketMap, its multi-asset market data, analysis and information services solution, with the addition of a new global corporate actions data feed from Exchange Data International. According to EDI, the feed covers data for 78,000 equities, 4,100 depository receipts and 2,700 exchange-traded funds.

MarketMap provides access to data from around 160 exchanges and over-the-counter sources. The new consolidated corporate actions feed should help MarketMap customers receive a range of corporate information issued from over 100 countries on the same user interface as the price information, helping keep access simple. It will also add to MarketMap's securities instrument and time-series databases with price history adjustments, as well as merger and acquisition data, changes of ISIN, stock adjustments, capital changes and dividend payments.
Source: Banking Technology Magazine

Luup draws on T24 to support mobile payments

Mobile payments systems provider Luup will be integrating Temenos T24 banking components as part of Luup's growth strategy for their existing mobile payments offering aimed at financial institutions and their customers, from corporates to consumers. Additionally a strategic partnership agreement between Luup and Temenos is expected to open up joint business and growth opportunities.

In the retail banking sector Luup can allow banks to offer person-to-person money transfer and ATM cash-out, person-to-merchant bill payments, salary payments to name a few. Added to this, are the possibilities of global mobile remittance services. For corporate banks and their corporate clients, Luup's technology is designed to enable corporates' end users to make and receive payments, authorise invoices and initiate payments using a company mobile.

Temenos will provide Luup with a range of banking functions to complement its existing platform through a service oriented architecture. It is hoped that this will deliver the flexibility and scalability required to progress the business further globally.

Source:Banking Technology Magazine

People Using Iphones as Wallets

New iPhone case turns phone into mobile wallet

In the near future, customers may be able to use their iPhones as creditcards. DeviceFidelity has built an iPhone case that will enable an iPhone itself to be used as a form of payment. Customers would be able to leave purses and wallets at home, carrying only their iPhone, and make purchases. While similar devices are commonly used in Japan, DeviceFidelity’s website will run trials in the second quarter of 2010 for North American usage.

Source: ATM Market Place