Lawsuits filed and investigations launched after Starwood data breach
Private lawsuits are beginning to be filed and several state investigations are underway following the massive Starwood data breach that was disclosed by owner Marriott International on Friday.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is among national organisations looking into the hack and lawsuits have been filed by individual companies as well as lawyers intending to lead class actions.
A number of lawsuits were filed the same day the company disclosed up to 500 million customers may be impacted by the mega-hack which apparently went unchecked for four years.
The data breach relates to Marriott’s Starwood Hotels & Resorts business, which it acquired in 2016 for $13.6 billion.
The massive hack began a year before Marriott showed interest in acquiring Starwood.
US firm Morgan & Morgan has requested a Maryland court grant class-action status to a lawsuit claiming the company exposed customers ‘to one of the largest digital infestations in history’.
The firm said: "The fact that a breach that began in 2014 went undetected for four years is shocking and horrifying."
At the same time at least five US state attorneys representing Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania have announced investigations, while the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK will also start its own probe.
The FBI said it was looking into the hack and the Federal Trade Commission will also likely get involved.
Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey said: "The public deserves to know how this happened."
Marriott said 327 million customer records were compromised including passport numbers, phone numbers and email addresses.
An undisclosed number of customer payment cards were also accessed, the company said.
In a lengthy statement from Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, it ‘fell short of what our guests deserve’.
The data breach is thought to be the second largest ever, after the Yahoo hack of 2013 which impacted all of its three billion accounts.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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