In the digital age where there is a phone application for almost everything, coffee lovers are turning to the new Starbucks app to pay for their lattes and chocolate chip banana muffins. The app allows Starbucks customers to pay for their food and beverages via money stored in the app which is linked to a bank account or Paypal. However, new reports suggest that the app may leave customer's personal information vulnerable to hackers should they misplace their smartphones.
Starbucks spokesman Jim Olsen noted the concerns telling CNN Money, "Obviously the security of our customers' information is of the utmost importance to Starbucks and we're monitoring for any risks and vulnerabilities." Starbucks spokeswoman Linda Mills, on the other hand, called the hacking concerns "very farfetched."
Thus far there have not been any reports of a breach in customer's personal information nor have there been reports of money misuse.
The potential for a breach was first uncovered by security researcher Daniel Wood, who tested the apps vulnerability.
Wood tells CNN Money, "The application is storing the users' information -- everything from your full name to your address to your username and password as well as your email address."
The free app prides itself on convenience by allowing users to log in only once after the app is initially downloaded to an Apple or Android device. Woods' findings, which were revealed Tuesday, are currently under investigation by Starbucks Chief Digital Officer Adam Brotman who tells Ars Technica that "adequate security measures in place now."
While the potential for leaked data may not seem like much of an issue, Ars Technica notes that many app users have set their accounts to automatically replenish once funds within the app are low.
Wood refutes claims that the breach has been fixed, noting that more serious measures need to be taken in order for Starbucks customers to get their daily cup of coffee without concerns of their personal information hanging at the fingertips of eager hackers.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
