WASHINGTON — The Homeland Security Department on Friday warned that more than 1,000 retailers could have a malicious software program lurking in their cash registers that allows computer hackers to steal financial data about their customers.

The department said businesses should scan their cash register systems for the “Backoff” malicious software, discovered last October.

This summer, the government explained what the malicious program is doing and how retailers’ information technology departments could deal with it.

The Backoff program is not unique, but its wide deployment by hackers and its repeated updates in the last six months make it a serious threat for consumers and businesses, the department said.

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