Dive Brief:

• It turns out that the malware that lurked on Atlanta-based Home Depot’s point-of-sale systems starting last spring is unlikely to be the same software that caused the Target breach last year, sources have told Bloomberg.

• Early indications showed similarities between the two types of fraudulent software, but investigators now say the differences are significant. Unlike the malware unleashed at Target, the Home Depot software appears to mimic anti-virus programming.

• Home Depot says it's still investigating and won’t comment on these reports.

Dive Insight:

Details are emerging about the malware that was deposited onto Home Depot’s point-of-sale systems, and enough is known to lead investigators to believe that it was not, as at first thought, the same people who hacked into Target’s system last year.

It's hard to know how much that matters. But it’s disheartening that yet another group has the capability to wreak such havoc on retail payment systems without being detected for quite a while. Certainly, retailers should be on guard.