This is the third time Target has been the target of hacking in the last couple of years, after they previously had their POS systems hacked in 2009:

http://storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/j-c-penney-targe...

And their customers account info leaked last year:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/04/huge_emai...