Marriott International announced a data breach that may have exposed the information of 5.2 million guests. Among the information potentially compromised are names, birthdates, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and birthdates.
This is the second major data breach that Marriott has experienced in recent years; in 2018, the company announced that the information of 327 million customers of subsidiary Starwoodhad been compromised in a similar incident.
In a statement, Marriott claimed the breach originated from “the login credentials of two employees at a franchise property,” but that they currently have “no reason to believe that the information involved included…payment card information, passport information, national IDs, or driver’s license numbers.”
Customers of Marriott and its subsidiaries are encourage to practice the Three Ms:
Minimize Your Exposure: Even if passwords and payment information weren’t compromised in the Marriott breach, there’s still plenty of information that can be used to leverage as a means of breaching other accounts – especially if your information was compromised in another breach.
Change your passwords on any accounts associated with travel and / or lodging, and be sure not to re-use them across multiple accounts. When resetting a password, pick one that’s easy for you to remember, but impossible for others to guess.
Monitor Your Accounts: Check your bank and credit card statements daily to look for any suspicious activity. Sign up for alerts on any account connected to your finances.
Manage the Damage: If your information was compromised in the breach, make sure you get on top of any incursion into your identity quickly and/or enroll in a program where professionals help you navigate and resolve identity compromises – these are often available for free, or at minimal cost, through insurance companies, financial services institutions and employers.
