Fast Food Chain Hit By Malware And Data Breach

Do you have a Checkers or Rally's fast food location near you?  Is it your go-to fast food joint?  If so, be advised that they're the latest company to fall victim to a hacking attack.

The company recently discovered evidence of malware on its payment processing systems in a total of 102 of the company's stores, which amounts to about 15 percent of their total locations.

Checkers and Rally's official statement about the matter reads, in part, as follows:

"We are working with federal law enforcement authorities and coordinating with the payment card companies in their efforts to protect cardholders.  We encourage you to review your account statement and contact your financial institution or card issuer immediately if you identify an unauthorized charge on your card.  The payment card brands' policies provide that cardholders have zero liability for unauthorized charges that are reported in a timely manner."

Although the company only recently discovered the malware, it had been in place for quite some time. The earliest installation occurred in mid-2017 and the bulk of the infections occurred between early 2018 and 2019.  The company also notes that only customers who paid for meals using credit or debit cards at infected locations have been impacted.

The malware has been removed and as the company's statement indicates, the investigation is ongoing.  You can read the full details about the incident on the Checkers and Rally's website.  The main thing to do at this point is to monitor your credit or debit card statements closely if you used a card to pay for purchases at the fast food chain during the period of infection.

Stay vigilant.  This won't be the last successful hacking attack we hear about in 2019.  Unfortunately, it won't be long before we have another report of this kind to make.