05 Dec The Latest Data Breach- Marriott Hotels: What You Need To Know

Marriott Hotels Was Recently Hacked

This past week Marriott Hotels reported a massive data breach; some 500 million guest reservations had been stolen from its Starwood database. The company now faces a class-action suit and shares have subsequently fallen 5.6%. On top of this, Marriott says for about 327 million victims, compromised data may include names, addresses and passport numbers. The hotel and resorts giant said in a statement filed with U.S. regulators that the “unauthorized access” to its guest database was detected on or before September 10 — but may date back as far as 2014. It’s the second biggest corporate data breach in history, behind one involving Yahoo, which said last year that 3 billion accounts among several of its brands were compromised.

What We Know Right Now

The security issue began for Marriott Hotels when they acquired Starwood Hotels 4 years ago. Just two months after the merger was announced, Starwood reported it had suffered a massive credit card hack in 2014. Marriott Hotels failed to adequately address the security threats that were already in existence at the time of the merge and it is evident that things only got worse.

Marriott hotels is working with authorities and the details of the investigation are ongoing.

What To Do If  You Have Been Affected

Marriott said it will start emailing users who were impacted and it has set up a website with information about the breach. Change all your passwords and check all your online accounts for any suspicious activities. Change all of your passwords and update your security information.

How To Protect Yourself From Future Data Breaches

Change Your Passwords

It’s annoying but a good way to protect yourself is to have a lot of different passwords that you change often. If you use the same password for all your account logins, you can be in big trouble quickly if hackers get a hold of it.

Use Two- Step Security Measures

Many websites, including social media and financial accounts, offer two-factor authentication for an added layer of security. Even if someone obtains your password, you can’t access your accounts without a second piece of information, like a code texted to your phone. This is an option you should take advantage of.

Be Vigilant At All Times

Experts caution internet users to be wary of “phishing” attempts by bad actors looking to steal your data, including through bogus emails, fake links and fraudulent websites. On its informational website about the hack, Marriott reminded members the company will not ask you to provide your password by phone or email.

For more tips on how to stay cyber safe, check out the rest of our blog!