54 Starwood Hotels Ransacked By Credit Card Gobbling Malware
Dozens of Starwood hotels around the country were hit with malware that enabled cyber thieves to access credit and debit card information from point of sale terminals. The malware affected a variety of locations on Starwood properties, including restaurants, gift shops, and other places where customers might have swiped a payment card.
A total of 54 Starwood hotels (PDF) fell prey to the malware, including places like the Walt Disney World Dolphin - A Sheraton Hotel in Orlando, Florida, and over a dozen Westin hotels spanning the continental U.S. and Hawaii.
According to a statement put out by Sheraton President Sergio Rivera, the malware was designed to collect payment card data such as cardholder names, payment card numbers, security codes, and expiration dates. Rivera says there's no evidence to suggest that other customer information, including contact information, Social Security numbers, and PINs were comprised.
"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause. We take our obligation to safeguard personal information very seriously and are alerting affected customers about this incident so they can take steps to help protect their information," Rivera said.
While Rivera recommends keeping a close eye on your payment card statements, affected Sheraton customers are also eligible to receive identity protection with credit monitoring services through AllClear ID free for one year.
A total of 54 Starwood hotels (PDF) fell prey to the malware, including places like the Walt Disney World Dolphin - A Sheraton Hotel in Orlando, Florida, and over a dozen Westin hotels spanning the continental U.S. and Hawaii.
According to a statement put out by Sheraton President Sergio Rivera, the malware was designed to collect payment card data such as cardholder names, payment card numbers, security codes, and expiration dates. Rivera says there's no evidence to suggest that other customer information, including contact information, Social Security numbers, and PINs were comprised.
"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause. We take our obligation to safeguard personal information very seriously and are alerting affected customers about this incident so they can take steps to help protect their information," Rivera said.
While Rivera recommends keeping a close eye on your payment card statements, affected Sheraton customers are also eligible to receive identity protection with credit monitoring services through AllClear ID free for one year.
