Target's network hacked using stolen credentials from a HVAC company

Stolen Credentials from Fazio Mechanical Services, a Pennsylvania based provider of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning(HVAC) systems, allowed attackers to breach the Target's network which resulted in massive breach involving more than 40 million credit card data.

Cyber security blogger Brain Krebs has learned that US secret services visited the companies offices, but Faizo Vice president has refused to provide further details about the visit.

You may ask why Target gave a ventilation contractor access to its network?  A CyberSecurity expert told Krebs that a HVAC service providers usually get access to retailers' computer systems in order to remotely monitor energy consumption and temperatures in stores.

CyberCriminals first tested their card-stealing malware, by infecting only a small number of cash registers within Target stores.  They conducted the test between November 15 and Nov. 28.

By the end of the November, hackers distributed their malware to a majority of Target's POS Systems.

It appears the stolen financial data stored not only in Russian server but it has also been uploaded to servers located in various countries including Miami and Brazil.

In an official statement, Faizo Mechanical Services said "Fazio Mechanical does not perform remote monitoring of or control of heating, cooling and refrigeration systems for Target"

"Our data connection with Target was exclusively for electronic billing, contract submission and project management, and Target is the only customer for whom we manage these processes on a remote basis."

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