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Retail brokerage firm Scottrade Inc. last week disclosed a breach that occurred from late 2013 to early 2014 and involved 4.6 million of its customers' contact information and possibly their Social Security numbers.

KrebsOnSecurity reported on an email Scottrade sent to its customers. "Based upon our subsequent internal investigation coupled with information provided by the authorities, we believe a list of client names and street addresses was taken from our system. Importantly, we have no reason to believe that Scottrade's trading platforms or any client funds were compromised," the email stated.

A statement on Scottrade's website said, "Although Social Security numbers, email addresses and other sensitive data were contained in the system accessed, it appears that contact information was the focus of the incident." The company is offering identity protection services to approximately 4.6 million clients whose information was targeted.

NAFCU has consistently urged for the establishment of a strong national data security standard for retailers that holds them responsible if they fail to protect consumer data and a standard akin to what credit unions already follow under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

On Wednesday, Jan Roche, president and CEO of State Department Federal Credit Union in Alexandria, Va., will testify on behalf of NAFCU before the House Small Business Committee on the recent EMV liability shift and how credit unions are preparing for the upgraded chip cards and new payments structure. She will also discuss the need for all payments system participants to adopt the new technology to best prevent cyber and data attacks.