Target says about 40 million credit, debit cards were hacked

MINNEAPOLIS — About 40 million credit and debit card accounts of Target customers were compromised between late November and the middle of this month, the mass merchandise retailer said Thursday.

Target confirmed earlier reports from the online security blog Krebs on Security that the company experienced a breach affecting nearly all of its stores. The breach was initially thought to have started the day before Thanksgiving and ended on Dec. 6, but investigators later found that it had lasted until Sunday.

Target said Thursday that the problem had been identified and resolved.

"Target's first priority is preserving the trust of our guests, and we have moved swiftly to address this issue so guests can shop with confidence," Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said. "We regret any inconvenience this may cause. We take this matter very seriously and are working with law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice."