Hackers Tap Navy Credit Card System

A Department of Defense (DOD) investigative team is researching the recent hack of a Navy system that gained access to 13,000 purchase cards issued by Citibank. The Navy has subsequently cancelled all of its approximately 22,000 purchase cards.

According to a statement issued by the DOD Purchase card Management Program, “Vendors who accept the purchase card and do business with the Navy should be aware that all card accounts have been cancelled and that Citibank is working quickly to re-establish new accounts and cards. In the meantime, emergency purchases are being handled on a case-by-case basis to fully support Navy requirements,.”

The hack was another in a string of security problems the Navy has had with its credit cards. Last year, a General Accounting Office (GAO) investigation revealed widespread abuse in the program including unauthorized purchases that included plastic surgery and home computers. Cardholders have defaulted on several million dollars worth of purchases.

Navy officials declined to comment on what system was breached in the hack, but promised to take appropriate measures to secure its systems. At the time of the GAO report, the DOD said it was using data mining techniques to track fraud.