An electronic break-in at P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. that stole confidential customer information such as credit card numbers highlights the persistent menace of data theft and its growing occurrence.

It also showed the value of having manual systems as a back-up

P.F. Chang's reported a credit card breach at 33 of their restaurants last June 11. Prompt action by the restaurant chain prevented further data loss such that federal authorities said credit card information was safe by June 12.

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Customers who visited Chang's 33 locations before June 11 should cross check their credit card reports to see if their information was stolen during the breach. The complete list of all affected locations is posted in the restaurant's site, www.pfchangs.com/security.

The company said the breached data include cardholder's names, credit card numbers, debit card transactions and the card's expiry date.

P.F. Chang's is the largest full service, casual dining Chinese restaurant chain in the United States with locations across the country.

Security analysts said P.F. Chang's to contain further damage from the data theft were prompt and correct.

Christopher Budd, global threat communications manager at Trend Micro, commended the restaurant's immediate response to the data breach.

P.F. Chang's quickly shut down its credit card payment system and reverted to the manual credit card processing.

The company also sought third-party experts to help with the investigation and partnered with anti-theft site, AllClear Secure.

P.F. Chang's is just one in thousands of firms being hit by data theft. Sandwich restaurant chain Jimmy John's and Irish online bookmaker Paddy Power Poker reported data thefts in late July

Paddy Power Poker said the breach affected 649,055 users.

Budd said "data loss and breaches are the norm, not the exception."

TagsP.F. Chang, security breach