When staying in a hotel, whether it be for business of pleasure, it is always an added bonus when there is wifi access.
Some hotels still require credit card details for access, which are kept on file and accessed multiple times during a guests’ stay, which makes them a prime target for identity and data theft.
An entry in the Hotel Lawyers blog examines the effect the Target incident is having on the hotel industry: "Even as merchants become more vigilant and focus on the security of their systems, criminals have become more sophisticated and are investing more time and effort in crafting their own systems."
The recent Target data breach has now prompted hoteliers to examine their own policies and procedures after it was revealed it has the potential to affect 1 in 3 people living in the United States.
"The fact that Target, and others, have been victimized might not seem, at first, to impact other businesses. Securing guest and corporate information is a key task, and the steps necessary to implement a secure environment are unique to each organisation," writes Robert E. Braun of the Global Hospitality Group.
Braun is advising that hotels abide by the following steps to remain vigilant:
- Inventory and identify potentially sensitive information
- Restrict access and collection of data by keeping it segregated on the fewest number of computers.
- Utilise encryption and secure connections technology when handling data.
- Design and implement effective privacy policies and procedures
- Ensure strong passwords are used (and changed on a regular basis) to keep internal information secure
- Review cybersecurity insurance
