Web Security Challenges in Hospitality Business: A Case for Cloud Web Filtering

Tom Hall -

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, where customer satisfaction is of utmost importance, the digital landscape presents both opportunities and risks. Nowadays, hotels and restaurants experience a huge amount of online challenges: they become targets for cybercriminals due to their handling of sensitive data and face reputational risks associated with guests' online experiences.

Understanding the evolving digital problems landscape and taking preventative measures such as content filtering is paramount to protecting businesses from potentially catastrophic outcomes.

The Allure of Hospitality for Hackers

Hospitality organizations store a lot of valuable information, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Installing malware on POS systems allows hackers to steal customers’ credit card information, causing significant reputational and financial damage to businesses. Moreover, the growing trend of ransomware attacks, where hackers paralyze systems and demand large ransoms for restoration, can result in million-dollar losses and occupancy declines of 80–90%.

Alarming Statistics: A Wake-Up Call for the Hospitality Industry

Recent research emphasizes the severity of the issue, revealing that 67% of accommodation and food businesses have fallen victim to cyberattacks. This places the industry in third place, behind only the education and arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors. Despite this alarming statistic, many businesses focus their investments on only traditional security systems and practices, often overlooking the critical human factor.

The Human Element: A Vulnerability Exploited

Latest ransomware attacks on the HoReCa sector (е.g., MGM and Caesar cases) emphasize that people might be the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain. Hackers can identify, for instance, a random tech employee of the target company and here we are: within 10-15 minutes they get access to the systems. The simplicity of many attacks usually relies on such tactics as tricking people into clicking on suspicious links and inputting credentials. This is reason enough to reflect on the critical need for employee training and measures that can prevent users from accessing potentially malicious resources.

Battles Against Explicit Content

Apart from cyberattacks, the restaurant and hospitality industry frequently faces a distinct online challenge — the potential for reputational harm in case guests encounter explicit content during their stay. Given that hotels and restaurants are typically chosen as venues for family outings or holidays, the expectation is that their networks should remain free from inappropriate content.

SafeDNS: Elevating Cybersecurity for Hospitality

Discover SafeDNS, a security beacon in the ever-changing digital landscape. The cloud web filtering solution offered by SafeDNS provides a multifaceted approach to cybersecurity, addressing challenges faced by hotels and restaurants. Besides, our web filtering assists the HoReCa sector in creating a safe environment free of inappropriate content, so that neither guests nor their children encounter anything disturbing while browsing the Internet.

Key Features of SafeDNS

  1. Cloud-Based Advantage: SafeDNS eliminates the need for physicial security concerns and complex hardware infrastructure, making our solution perfect for industry giants and small businesses.
  2. User-Friendly Interface: The account interface is highly intuitive, ensuring that everyone, regardless of technical skills, can easily install and navigate through the system.
  3. Comprehensive Categories: With 66 categories of websites available, SafeDNS empowers businesses to customize their web access policies, from blocking explicit content to restricting access to timewasters to enhance employee productivity.
  4. Advanced Scheduling: Unlike many other web filtering services, SafeDNS introduces a unique scheduling feature, allowing users to set up schedules that can adapt web filtering to the dynamic nature of the hospitality industry.
  5. Detailed Reports: You can gain valuable insights into users' web activities with a detailed report. The best part here is that the service cannot be deceived by clearing the browser history or surfing the internet in incognito mode.
  6. Unmatched Support: SafeDNS built an exceptional support team available 24/7 to ensure any issues that arise are quickly resolved.
  7. Free Cybersecurity Awareness Training: We offer a course on the basics of online security to help increase employee cybersecurity knowledge.

As the hospitality industry navigates the digital landscape, prioritizing cybersecurity is non-negotiable. Make the proactive choice to stay protected with SafeDNS and strengthen your reputation against the ever-present threat of cyberattacks.