WASHINGTON — Carnival Corporation is contacting customers whose personal information was compromised in April due to a cybersecurity incident, the company announced May 27.
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The breach, first detected on April 14, was triggered not by a sophisticated technical hack but after an employee was reportedly deceived, according to a news release from the company.
“An unauthorized actor used social engineering to deceive an employee to gain access to a limited portion of the company’s IT system,” the company wrote.
According to the Texas Attorney General’s website, more than 800,000 Texans were affected by the breach. It’s unclear how many more people from which states may have been impacted.
What was compromised?
Compromised information may include names, home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and passport numbers.
The company warned that the affected data varies by individual and that its analysis of the full extent of the breach remains ongoing.
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“We’re notifying affected individuals and deeply regret any concern this causes. Protecting the privacy and security of personal data is a priority for us and we’ve added new layers of security and monitoring on top of the comprehensive protections already in place,” the company said in a statement. “We’ll also continue advancing our defenses against evolving threats.”
The company’s response
Carnival said it moved quickly once the breach was detected, blocking the unauthorized activity and bringing in third-party security experts to investigate and reinforce its systems.
For affected customers in the United States, Carnival is offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring through TransUnion. Customers with questions can reach a dedicated call center at 1-844-593-8310, available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, excluding major holidays.
The company is also urging affected individuals to stay vigilant, monitor their account statements and credit histories for signs of unauthorized activity, and contact local police if they suspect they have become victims of identity theft or fraud.
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