DeRodes steps into breach as Target's new CIO

Target has named veteran IT executive Bob DeRodes as its CIO and is tasking him with taking the $73 billion retailer in a new technology direction following the mammoth data breach that it disclosed late last year. The breach resulted in information being stolen from 70 million payment card users and prompted the resignation of CIO Beth Jacob.

DeRodes has previous experience as a senior technology adviser for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of Defense and Department of Justice. He also held top technology positions at First Data and The Home Depot. DeRodes currently sits on the boards of NCR and security firm Veracode.

+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: Target CIO resigns following breach | The worst data breaches of 2013 +

Target said DeRodes starts his new job as executive vice president and CIO on May 5, with a mandate from Target's chairman to make changes in both technology and organizational structures.

"Establishing a clear path forward for Target following the data breach has been my top priority," said Gregg Steinhafel, Target chairman, president and CEO in a statement. Target has an "opportunity to take the lessons learned from this incident" in order to improve the retailer's security through a new approach to information technology, he said.

Target says it is still seeking chief information security and chief compliance officers.

Today, Target also said it intends to incorporate MasterCard chip-and-pin technology across the retailer's branded credit and debit cards known as REDcards. The company said that beginning in 2015, the entire REDcard portfolio will be enabled with this MasterCard technology.

Target earlier said it was accelerating a $100 million plan to support chip-and-pin technology by installing the software and next-generation payment devices for it in stores. Target expects these new payment terminals will be in all 1,797 U.S. stores by September.Target also said in March it joined the private-sector organization Financial Services Information Sharing & Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), which communicates regularly with federal law enforcement on cybercrime matters.

Ellen Messmer is senior editor at Network World, an IDG website, where she covers news and technology trends related to information security. Twitter: MessmerE. E-mail: emessmer@nww.com

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Tags cybercrimeVeracodelegalncranti-malwareTargetWide Area NetworkDepartment of Homeland Security

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