‘Hackers abroad’ stole credit details of 70,000

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said the likelihood that those behind the attack on the Clare-based Loyaltybuild database were foreign criminals was putting an extra strain on fraud squad detectives.

“That adds to the degree of difficulty and the complexity of the investigation,” he said.

The Garda chief said an investigation was being spearheaded by its fraud bureau, backed up by the computer crime unit.

About 70,000 Irish customers have been hit by the hackers and another half-million card holders are in other European countries.

No complaints have been made to gardai that money has been stolen.

Although he couldn’t predict the outcome of the inquiry, Mr Callinan warned that companies have a responsibility to have powerful enough firewalls in place to prevent criminals from hacking into their systems and people’s personal details.

“It’s important that your personal details are kept as private as they possibly can be, and companies have a responsibility as well,” he said.

“They are supposed to have sufficient firewalls in place, but technology and the advances in technology is such nowadays that people will attempt to hack in, and we believe that is probably what has happened on this occasion.”

Mr Callinan said detectives were facing a “huge challenge” given the complexity of the case, but added other forces have the same problems.

“We are no different from any other jurisdiction in that respect, but we will be trying very hard - working with the data protection commissioner and whoever else who can be of assistance to us - to find out what has happened on this occasion,” he added.

Loyaltybuild, which runs rewards schemes for companies across Europe, said more than 376,000 people on its systems have had their credit card details stolen.

The details of an additional 150,000 clients were potentially compromised in the attack.