Black Friday cybercrime is unstoppable.
AP Photo
This holiday shopping season, kicking off with post-Thanksgiving deals, millions of Americans will almost certainly have their credit or debit card information stolen by overseas hackers.
Just like last year.
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Twelve months after data from 40 million cards were stolen from Target, beginning a year of escalating hacks of retailers’ payment card systems, not much has changed beyond awareness.
The absence of federal action reflects the difficulty of improving cybersecurity. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree on the goal of improving the security of the nation’s networks, but disputes over even small details can sidetrack progress. Congressional action has been bogged down in side fights, and industry-led changes have been slow and narrow. Executive action, and power, on the issue is limited, and most administration efforts have been designed to encourage retailers to take extra precautions against theft, rather than apply new regulations.
