TrustedSec was called on to offer insights and analysis following the November 30, 2018 disclosure of a breach affecting the hospitality giant Marriott that exposing the personal and financial information on as many as a half-billion customers who made reservations at any of its Starwood properties over the past four years. See below for a summary of the coverage that TrustedSec CEO David Kennedy participated in related to the incident.
Wired Magazine
“Four years is an eternity when it comes to breaches. If attackers had access for that long I would assume they had access to virtually everything.” -CEO David Kennedy
Read the article: How to Protect Yourself From The Giant Marriott Hack
Fox Business News
Fox Business News was alarmed at the size of the breach and asked Dave to shed light on how such a large amount of personal data could have been compromised and sold.
Video source: Marriott could be larger than the Target breach: Cybersecurity expert
CNBC
Dave was called on by CNBC to comment specifically on the passport information included in the breach and what could be done with a compromised passport number. Dave played down the danger stating:
“To replicate a passport takes a lot of effort. I wouldn’t necessarily consider your passport compromised.” -CEO David Kennedy
Read the article: Marriot Breach: Here’s the risk of a compromised passport number
PBS News Hour
The breach was one of the featured stories on PBS’ News Hour for November 30, 2018. Dave made an appearance to provide background on how the breach may have occurred and who could be behind it.
Video source: Why companies are still failing to protect our personal data
KCBS
Thinking about what needs to be done post-Marriott breach, CEO Dave Kennedy tells us how the combination of data taken is key for identity fraud and why this may mean new passports for former guests. Listen to this radio clip to hear more.
Audio source: Millions Impacted By Marriott Hack May Need New Passports