UPDATED: Epsilon Announces E-Mail Database Breach

Epsilon Data Management, a vendor that provides promotional messages for several major corporations, has announced that a "subset" of its clients' customer database was exposed by "an unauthorized entry" into Epsilon's e-mail system.

Epsilon announced the March 30 incident over the weekend.

The information obtained was limited to email addresses and/or customer names, the Irving, Texas-based company said.

"A rigorous assessment determined that no other personal identifiable information associated with those names was at risk," Epsilon said in a news release. "A full investigation is currently underway."

Epsilon spokeswoman Jessica Simon said on Sunday that in deference to the "investigation by authorities," she could not elaborate on what clients were affected.

Two major clients, JPMorgan Chase and Walgreens, have posted consumer alerts. Target Corp. sent an e-mail to its customers Monday evening warning them of the potential that their e-mail addresses may have been compromised.

"JPMorgan Chase Chase announced today that we were informed by Epsilon, a marketing vendor we use to send e-mails, that an unauthorized person outside their company accessed files that included e-mail addresses of some Chase customers," Chase's Web site posting indicated.

The posting continued,  "We are advised by Epsilon that the files that were accessed did not include any customer financial information, but are actively investigating to confirm this. As always, we are advising our customers of everything we know as we know it. Chase will never ask customers for personal information or credentials in an email. Information for Chase customers is available on chase.com."

The Walgreens said that law enforcement entities have been notified and are investigating the matter.

Walgreens said that e-mail addresses were the only type of information exposed in the  incident and that no other personal information is stored with Epsilon.

Walgreens said it does not send emails asking for credit card information, social security number or other personally identifiable information and said that customers can contact Walgreens at 855-814-0010 with any questions about the incident.

A spokeswoman for Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said today that Kroger, TiVo, US Bank, Capital One, Citi, Home Shopping Network, Ameriprise Financial, LL Bean, McKinsey &* Company, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, Marriott Rewards, New York & Company, Brookstone, The College Board, Disney Destinations, Best Buy are also clients.