VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Cyber intrusions and other data breaches put the personal records of 18.5 million Californians, nearly half the state's population, at risk in 2013, a seven-fold increase over the year before, the state attorney general reported on Tuesday.

The US Secret Service confirmed that it is investigating a potential data security attack at Texas-based arts and crafts retail chain Michaels Stores, which alerted its customers to check credit account statements for fraudulent charges.

Dallas, Texas-based luxury specialty department store Neiman Marcus confirmed that 1.1 million debit and credit cards could have been compromised during a malware attack from July 16 to October 30, 2013.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group Ltd was given two weeks by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions about the cyber breach that happened during the holiday rush, Bloomberg reported.

New York-based consumer and retail-focused investment bank Financo announced its intention to raise USD75 million to USD100 million for the launching its private equity fund in 2014.

According to sources who told Wall Street Journal, Neiman Marcus would be wrapping its over USD6 billion exit deal with Ares Management LLP and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board soon.