In what could be the largest data security breach to date, MasterCard International on Friday said information on more than 40 million credit cards may have been stolen.

This is a biggie, and it appears to be just one in a series of large incidents in recent times:

“In past months, data leaks have been reported by Bank of America and Wachovia, data brokers ChoicePoint and LexisNexis, and the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. “

http://news.com.com/MasterCard+breach+hits+40+million+accounts/2100-1029_3-5751886.html