Cyber security: System glitch responsible for displaying customer details to others on Wal-mart’s online pharmacy in the US over a 72-hour period in February
Some US customers logging onto Wal-mart's online pharmacy last month may have been left scratching their head at their supposed medical history, after a coding error made other users' information visible.
The retail giant confirmed today that just under 5,000 customers may have been able to see the wrong set of customer information during a 72-hour period in February.
Information that could be viewed included name, address, date of birth and prescription history, but not full credit or debit card or health insurance information.
The error was caused by a hiccup during a server migration, not a hacking incident, the company has said. Those customers who have potentially been affected are being contacted but there is so far nothing to suggest the data that could have been obtained has been used inappropriately elsewhere.
Company spokesman Dan Toporek told Reuters: "We had a software coding error for a 72-hour period from February 15 to 18 that affected a limited group of online pharmacy customers. We moved quickly to fix the issue once it was discovered."