Cyber Security in Hospitality

Here's how to protect your guests from digital intruders.

- KRISHNANAND BHAT

The modern hospitality industry has evolved into a complex, technology-driven service sector that not only builds guest confidence in its brand but also engages with them globally. In the past, hospitality services were limited to accommodation, boarding, and lodging. Today, hospitality chains position themselves as health, wellness, and recreational brands, striving to create unforgettable memories and ensure easy recall for guests.

To manage the guest experience, hospitality players invest in technology integrations across various global vendor partners. This complexity makes it difficult to protect the industry from cyber-attacks. Each of these diverse endpoints, which share information and customer profiles, introduces vulnerabilities that have become a significant concern for the industry.

A leading international hospitality chain's data breach was one of the most significant incidents in recent history, affecting millions of customers worldwide. The breach was discovered in November 2018, but unauthorized access had begun as far back as 2014. Breaches like this can remain undetected for more than 240 days, and with the ever-growing complexity of global technology stacks, such vulnerabilities are only set to increase.

Now, let us explore how the industry manages guest experiences across various stages of the customer lifecycle.