Marriott has second massive data breach in 2 years; over 5 million guests compromised
On Tuesday, March 31, Marriott International disclosed that it suffered a data breach that likely affected more than 5 million guests.
According to a press release from Marriott, the breach began in mid-January 2020 and was discovered at the end of February 2020. Per the results of the company's investigation, compromised data includes contact details (name, phone number, email address, mailing address); loyalty account information (passwords were not affected); additional personal details (birth date, gender, company); partnerships and affiliations (linked airline accounts and frequent flyer numbers) and preferences (language and room preferences).
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Marriott says that Bonvoy passwords, credit cards, driver's license/national identification numbers, credit cards and passport information were not affected in this latest breach.
The chain sent emails to all involved parties, though if you want to check for yourself, you can do so through a portal that Marriott has set up. It will let you know if your data was involved in the breach and, if so, what specifically was affected.
If you were affected by this latest breach, you'll notice that you'll be required to change your Bonvoy account password upon logging in, and you'll be asked to set up two-factor authentication to add a layer of security to your account. Marriott says that it's working with the appropriate authorities regarding this situation.
How to protect yourself from a data breach
With incidences of cybercrime continuing to rise, it's hard to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to your online information. However, there are some steps you can take to better safeguard your data.
Use identity-protection programs
For those who are affected by this incident, Marriott is offering one year of a complimentary information-monitoring service through IdentityWorks via Experian. U.S. residents can enroll here and those who live outside the U.S. and in participating countries enroll here.
There are other services on the market, like CompleteID (also offered through Experian) and LifeLock, that are available to all consumers and start at $9.99 per month, a small price to pay for data security.
Change your passwords
This always seems like a no-brainer, but this is one of the best ways to keep your information safe. In today's world, there are an endless number of passwords to keep track of, so we recommend using a password manager like 1Password to keep it all straight for you. 1Password charges roughly $5 per month, and you can store and protect all the passwords for your entire family. It also works with biometric features on the Apple platform like TouchID and FaceID, adding another level of security for your passwords. Hackers are less likely to be able to figure out a unique, 25-character password with letters, numbers and symbols.
For another layer of security, enable two-factor authentication on all accounts that offer it.
Regularly check your accounts
It's important to check your balances once a month (at the very least) to make sure you don’t see any fraudulent activity. A service like Award Wallet can also help track your balances for free.
Bottom line
This Marriott data breach marks the second in as many years for the world's largest hotel chain. While this recent breach isn't nearly as widespread or devastating as the last one that affected Marriott in 2018, it's concerning that breaches that affect millions of guests continue to happen with some degree of frequency.
Perhaps we'll crack the code on data security in the future but for now, it's important to remain vigilant with your online data while cybercriminals still have the upper hand.
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- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees