Just in time for Christmas, Hyatt is notifying customers that their payment card data may have been compromised by malware-wielding cybercriminals. The major hotel chain is thus encouraging its customers “to review payment card account statements closely.”

Hyatt says in a Dec. 23 statement saying that it recently “identified malware on computers that operate the payment processing systems for Hyatt-managed locations.” The company says it launched a related investigation when the point-of-sale malware was detected, brought in third-party digital-forensic investigators, and that the related breach investigation remains ongoing.

“Protecting customer information is of critical importance to Hyatt, and we take the security of your payment card data very seriously.” 

Chicago-based Hyatt, which is controlled by the billionaire Pritzker family, says that in the wake of the breach it has “taken steps to strengthen the security of its systems,” although does not detail what those steps might be.

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