Marriott:Hackers accessed more than 5 million passport numbers during November's massive data breach

[Zorro]

Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel company, said Friday that millions of passport numbers were accessed in a data breach that was first announced in November.

Marriott revealed for the first time, in a statement posted online, that hackers accessed approximately 5.25 million unencrypted passport numbers. The attack resulted in an additional 20.3 million encrypted passport numbers being swiped, but there is no evidence that the hackers were able to decrypt the data, the statement said.

Translated into another code, only available to those with access to a digital key, encrypted data is harder for hackers to obtain and considered more protected, according to experts.

Marriott also said that the breach affected an estimated 383 million “unique guests,” down from the original estimate of 500 million given when the company said in November that its Starwood guest reservations database had been penetrated by hackers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/01/04/marriott-hackers-accessed-more-than-million-passport-numbers-during-novembers-massive-data-breach

[uponit7771]

1. So, this is why I don't trust these companies with this kind of data; they're mostly too incompetent

[KentuckyWoman]

2. Why does the hotel need passport numbers?

That part I don't even understand...

[BannonsLiver]

3. More of an international thing

I’m not sure if american hotels require them for international travelers, but almost everywhere I’ve stayed in Europe requests my passport number at check in. I think it’s ridiculous and outmoded, but there it is. In the olden day’s you apparently had to leave your passport at the front desk for the duration of your stay. Both are pointless excercises IMO. I’ve heard reasons ranging from taxes to security when I’ve asked why they neee the number. I’m not sure the hotels themselves know anymore.