Home Depot confirms data breach affected US and Canada stores; Debit card PINs not affected

TORONTO – Home Depot is confirming that security at its payment system was breached and that customers who made credit card purchases at its Canadian and U.S. stores could be affected.

The Atlanta-based retailer (NYSE:HD) says there is no evidence that the breach affected customers who shopped online at HomeDepot.com or at its stores in Mexico.

It also says there’s no evidence that debit card PINs were compromised.

News reports of the breach at North America’s largest chain of home improvement stores emerged last week but the company revealed little at the time, saying it was investigating.

It now says the investigation is focused on April and the following months but doesn’t say how many customers may have been affected.

It’s offering free identify protection services and credit monitoring to any customer who used a payment card at a Home Depot store in 2014, from April onward.

More detail is being posted on www.homedepot.com and through a toll-free number at 1-800-466-3337.

Hackers have broken security walls for many retailers in recent months, including Target — which also has stores in Canada and the United States.