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Watergate Hotel hit with data breach

D.C.’s The Watergate Hotel reports sensitive information of individuals stored on its network was subject of a data breach last spring, and it has begun to notify individuals who may have been affected.

The Watergate said in a statement the information accessed was related to hotel guests, but its statement also referred to health insurance and medical information, indicating it may have also included hotel employees.

The Watergate did not respond to requests for clarification.

The hotel said the data potentially impacted includes name, Social Security numbers, driver’s license details, financial account information and credit card information.

The breach was not recent. The hotel said it identified suspicious activity on its network in April 2024 and launched an investigation, which determined an unknown actor gained access to its computer systems. The hotel completed its review in December, notified law enforcement, and tightened its network security.

The Watergate said it has sent notices letters to potentially affected individuals for whom it had a mailing address, and will respond to inquiries from others.

The Watergate Hotel, part of the Watergate complex on Virginia Avenue NW which also includes cooperative homes and offices, reopened in 2016 after a $125 million renovation. It has sat vacant for nine years until its reopening.

The hotel is one of the 50 largest in the D.C. area, with 370 rooms and suites.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

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