Target, Inc.

Chicago – Information security firm Trustwave Holdings Inc., which is being sued in connection with the Target Corp. data breach, is denying that it managed data security for Target. In a letter to its business partners and clients, Trustwave CEO Robert McCullen said Trustwave did not monitor the Target data network or process credit card data from the retailer’s customers.

It looks like one year of free credit monitoring has become the new industry standard for retailers looking to placate customers potentially affected by a data breach.

Sally Beauty is the latest retailer to offer free credit monitoring and identity theft protection following reports in early March that the company detected an unauthorized intrusion into its data network.

Time Inc.'s All You brand is expanding its newsstand distribution beginning with the April 2014 issue, already in newsstands.

In addition to being sold at Walmart, All You will be available at most major retail chains across the country including supermarkets, drugstores and bookstores like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Barnes & Noble, in addition to being sold by subscription. This expansion follows a successful rollout across retailers in the Southeast market that began last June.

By Jeff Echols, senior director of product and solutions marketing, CommVault

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. filed suit with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas suing Visa for $5 billion, alleging that the financial services company overcharges on the credit and debit card swipe fees it charges retailer.

The suit claims that Visa colluded with banks to fix swipe fees between January 2004 and November 2012, forcing it to raise prices and reduce customer service, resulting in lost retail sales.

Minneapolis – Senators John D. Rockefeller (D. - W.V.) and Richard Blumenthal (D. – Conn.) publicly criticized Target’s handling of its 2013 data breach during testimony by Target CFO John J. Mulligan in front of the Senate Commerce Committee, which Rockefeller chairs. The senators said that Target’s management did not pay attention to signals from its security software and that it is time for the retail industry to make changes.

New York -- A pair of banks has filed suit against Target Corp. and security firm Trustwave, alleging damages suffered after the retailer’s holiday season data breach and accusing Trustwave of failing to identify security gaps.

According to a report by Reuters, which cited the American Banker, Trustmark National Bank and Green Bank N.A. are seeking damages of more than $5 million and named Trustwave Holdings and Target as defendants.

Leading brands are retailers were recognized for their effectiveness in marketing communications Tuesday night in Chicago when the fourth annual North American Shopper Marketing Effie Awards were held at the Path to Purchase Institute’s annual Shopper Marketing Summit.