Carnival Corporation, the largest cruise operator globally, is extending two years of free credit monitoring to some U.S. travelers following a significant data breach. The breach exposed personal details of nearly 6 million individuals.
In a statement, Carnival Corporation revealed that they discovered unauthorized access to part of their IT system in April. This breach resulted from a social engineering attack on a single user account. The company promptly halted the activity, enlisted third-party security experts, and informed law enforcement.
According to a news release on its website, Carnival’s investigation identified that certain personal information was accessed without authorization. The breach occurred due to an employee being deceived by the attacker.
“We’re notifying affected individuals and deeply regret any concern this causes,” Carnival mentioned in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The breach notice, filed with the Maine Attorney General’s office, indicated that personal data of 5,995,277 people was impacted. Carnival serves approximately 13.5 million guests annually with its fleet of 90 ships, which includes brands like AIDA, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, P&O, and Princess.
Carnival is conducting an extensive analysis to identify the specific data compromised. Currently, it has been determined that names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and driver’s license and passport numbers were involved.
The company sent notification letters to those affected and issued an online notice for individuals they could not reach directly. Concerns were addressed regarding the delay in notifying customers, explaining the complexity of the investigation required.
Carnival assured that protecting personal data is a priority. They have reinforced security measures and are committed to advancing protections against threats.
Unverified claims from a hacker group called ShinyHunters taking responsibility for the breach have not been confirmed by Carnival. Some reports suggest customer information is on the dark web, but this remains unsubstantiated by the company.
Amid these developments, Carnival is offering those affected in the U.S. two years of credit monitoring through TransUnion. The company advises vigilance in monitoring accounts and contacting authorities if fraud is suspected.
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