A fast-food chain known for frozen treats is the latest national company to suffer a data breach, and the Soldotna Dairy Queen was caught up in what's being called a "malware intrusion."
The Central Kenai Peninsula eatery on the Spur Highway, a gathering place for kids' sports teams, was the only Alaska location affected by the breach, according to the company.
DQ and Orange Julius locations nationwide were "infected with the widely reported Backoff malware that is targeting retailers across the country," the company said in a news release. Malware, short for malicious software, is used to disrupt computer systems and gather sensitive information.
During the past year, the U.S. Secret Service has responded to network intrusions at numerous businesses affected by Backoff, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
International Dairy Queen Inc. reported it had previously been investigating a possible network intrusion. That investigation found the affected systems contained customers' names, debit and credit card numbers, and expiration dates.
The company said the malware has been contained.
The breach affected debit and credit card data at 395 locations, according to the news release. The company has more than 4,500 outlets.
The company reported the time period of the breach was August to October, though the length of intrusion varied among locations. Soldotna's Dairy Queen was breached between Aug. 5 and Aug. 31.
"Identity repair services" are being offered for one year to customers who paid with cards at the affected locations, according to the news release.