A data breach at the American convenience store chain 7-Eleven has affected over 185,000 people. The compromised information includes names, dates of birth, physical addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. According to Have I Been Pwned, the hackers behind this hack-and-extortion attack have taken credit for the breach, warning that they would publish the data if not paid.

Maine's attorney general reported that 7-Eleven's chief information security officer, Jim Kastle, revealed that the hackers gained access to an internal server containing franchisee documents. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office added that Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses of some customers were also involved in the breach.

7-Eleven is not the first to face such a scandal. In 2019, a similar attack hit the company with over 85,000 card details compromised. The latest breach serves as a stark reminder that even well-known and trusted brands are vulnerable to cyber threats.

The incident raises questions about data security in retail environments, especially given how much personal information is stored within these stores’ systems. Customers might wonder if the convenience of using their regular 7-Eleven card comes with an invisible risk.