Booking.com confirms hackers accessed customers’ data

Booking.com has officially announced that unauthorized individuals may have gained access to sensitive personal information of some customers. This includes names, email addresses, physical locations, phone numbers, and details associated with bookings. The international leader in travel and hotel reservations communicated the potential breach to its users last week, as noted in various online forums. One notification shared on Reddit stated, "We’re writing to inform you that unauthorized third parties may have been able to access certain booking information associated with your reservation." Many users on Reddit indicated they received similar notifications, underscoring the widespread nature of the breach. The message detailed the types of data that could have been compromised, which also encompassed any additional information shared with accommodations. A Reddit user who reported the incident to TechCrunch revealed they had received a phishing message via WhatsApp two weeks prior, containing booking details and personal data. This suggests that the stolen information is now being used to target victims of the breach. Courtney Camp, a spokesperson for Booking.com, commented on the situation, stating, "We noticed some suspicious activity involving unauthorized third parties being able to access some of our guests’ booking information. Upon discovering the activity, we took action to contain the issue. We have updated the PIN numbers for these reservations and informed our guests." While the spokesperson did not provide specifics on the number of customers impacted, the company affirmed to The Guardian that no financial information was compromised in this incident. In a previous report, TechCrunch revealed that hackers had previously infected multiple hotel systems with consumer-grade spyware, raising concerns about the security of sensitive information. Since 2010, Booking.com has facilitated bookings for approximately 6.8 billion customers, highlighting its significant role in the travel industry.