A computer security team working for hotels decided to show how easily their network can be hacked. They connected to the hotel’s internal network and stole personal information worth tens of millions of dollars …
What’s easier than arriving at the hotel, asking for the Wi-Fi password and enjoying a full vacation with free internet. It’s simple and inexpensive for hotel guests but represents an opportunity for hackers. The result can be costly for holidaymakers!
Over the past two years, all major hotel chains have reported hacking, including the Hilton, Hyatt and InterContinental hotels. Although the private person is more concerned about the possibility that his smartphone is exposed to hackers, which is possible if there is no firewall and the password is usually the number of the house. But usually, hackers focus on the hotel’s management software. Connecting to this system exposes to the malicious attackers all the details of current and past visitors, including credit card details and passport numbers. A team of IT experts working for some of the world’s largest hotels has decided to do something and make it clear to their customers how insecure is their personal information. They made a reservation in a room of a renowned hotel and for three days they connected to the system. They used different means of connection such as smart TV, electrical system, USB plug in the hallway and even via an aquarium, connected to a chain of hotels in Las Vegas – and managed to get nine million credit card numbers, and more than five million passports’ details.
You should know that all this information can be useful: the value of a credit card number can reach 20 dollars and that of a passport up to 50 dollars in illegal markets. “Burglars” are committed not to access the private information of guests staying at the hotel despite the ease of access. In addition, they have even set up a wireless network with the name of the hotel and dozens of customers subscribing to it instead of the real network of the place – a decision that can easily lead to the theft of valuable information.
Hackers have taken advantage of two factors: the first is the constant desire of the hotel to please its customers by giving access to everyone, and in return lowering the security level of the WIFI network. The second is the rapid evolution of the hotel industry, which is increasingly depended on its software but has little or no qualified staff to manage IT security.
The recommendations are very clear – do not connect to the hotel’s free Wi-Fi network. This can cost you money, but you will reduce your risk and possible loss of credit card details or other private information.
The VPN connection is the recommended choice by computer experts, although it is a good idea to carefully choose the VPN application. The Virtual Private Network serves as a transition portal that hides the location of your device and serves as a remote port to which you securely transmit information. It connects you to the requested site and your information is protected. Even if no one really cares about what you are watching on the web in the solitary moments of boredom at the hotel, be aware that every page you open privately at the hotel is completely transparent and that some people can view it. Report details of the self-proclaimed hackers have been submitted to the hotels, who promise to improve security. One option is the use of facial and voice recognition technology in the rooms to guarantee the identity of the user even though these applications can pose even more complex and dangerous problems.