they are heavily encrypted and impossible to decode. alexander field is live for us now in new york. so, is that the case, very difficult to, i guess, decode? reporter: well, fred, target is telling shoppers they believe that the information is safe, secure and protected, but some security experts are saying it s possible that that information might not be. there are sophisticated hackers out there right now trying access those p.i.n. numbers, so really no reason for shoppers to wait and find out. just a day after saying there was no evidence that personal identification numbers, or p.i.n.s, were accessed in its massive security breach, a turn-around from target. the retail giant saying debit card p.i.n. numbers were stolen along with names and card numbers as part of the recent hacking. still, target insists the p.i.n. code information is safe and secure, in a statement, saying the p.i.n. information was
nearly ten feet thick. one rescue ship has stalled in the ice. and another rescue boat is to turn back. well, we ll talk about one of the crew members live from the stranded ship just ahead. but first, the impact of targets massive debit card security breech is growing by the day. millions of shop rs are told to get new cards after target admitted that customers pin numbers were stolen. but target is insisting the pin data is still safe and secure. cnn s alexander field reports from new york. just the day after saying there was no evidence that personal identification numbers or pins were accessed in its massive security breach, a tush around from target, the retail giant saying debit card pin numbers were stolen along with names and card numbers as part of the recent hacking. target insist the pin code information is safe and secure in a statement saying quote,
massive security breach, a turnaround from target. the retail giant saying debit card p.i.n. numbers were stolen, along with names and card numbers, as part of the recent hacking. still, target insists the p.i.n. code information is safe and secure, in a statement saying, quote, the p.i.n. information was fully encrypted at the keypad, remained encrypted within our system, and remained encrypted when it was removed from our systems. the company insists it would be unlikely that hackers would be able to unscramble the data, but some experts remain concerned. the encryption itself is an industry data standard, and it allows it to be protected. unfortunately, the p.i.n.s are only four characters, which means there are 10,000 different combinations you can do in order to get it. so altogether, it s not going to hold up, because hackers can do what s called brute forcing it. reporter: the security breach affecting 40 million customers who shopped at target between
how will it end? wolf blitzer is off today, i m brianna keilar, you are in the situation room. a massive breach of credit and debit card data, now targets is confirming that p.i.n. numbers were also stolen from the customer accounts, but the company says those numbers were strongly encrypted and it believes they re safe and secure. joe johns follows these new developments for us, but i have to tell you, we heard yesterday they didn t believe any of the information had gotten out. now we re learning they have it and it s encrypted. i m still worried if i m a target customer. it s alarming that p.i.n. code information was accessed, but here s the important thing, the p.i.n. code information was strongly encrypted the key to the encryption was not accessed as part of the breach.