Hackers Broke into Accounting System of Destination Hotels and Resorts

The Austin Police Department (APD) in the US stated Internet thieves broke into the accounting system of The Driskill Hotel Management Company and filched data of hotel guests' credit cards.

It (APD) explained that the thieves surreptitiously moved away with the details of customers' credit cards who took meals at different properties of Destination Hotels and Resorts situated at 15 different US states.

After the hack, Destination Hotels and Resorts found that its system for processing credit cards had been injected with malware from an outside remote source. The hotel company then turned to external security consultants for help who quickly rectified the breach and resumed the usual secure procedures for card processing.

When the hotel authorities detected the breach in June 2010, they immediately halted it. According to them, majority of the breaches and data thefts at their properties took place during the past couple of months.

The officials stated that they didn't still know the exact number of victims affected, but area-wise, police had got some 3-dozen complaints about fake purchases estimating $2,000-$3,000 each.

Meanwhile, running over 30 resorts and hotels countrywide, Destination is currently notifying its recent customers who may be victims of the hack. It is also advising them for talking to the payment card firms where they've their accounts. The incident, nevertheless, has left guests' addresses unaffected.

Charlie Peck, President and Chief Operating Officer of Destination, said that they were anxious about their guests and they were genuinely apologetic of any inconvenience the incident might have caused them, as reported by ETurboNews on June 24, 2010.

Peck added that his hotel was aware that there were other hotels too that had been victimized with such an attack. However, their biggest anxiety was for their potentially affected customers.

The APD is investigating into the region's thefts, while the US Secret Service agents are trying to determine the person who broke into the Englewood, Colorado (US) based company's accounting system.

Sgt. Matt Greer, supervisor of APD's financial crimes division, said that they were examining the massive loss, therefore it was quite serious, as reported by PinDebit Blog on June 23, 2010.

Related article: Hackers Redirect Windows Live Search to Malicious Sites

» SPAMfighter News - 7/3/2010