TECHNOLOGY
While guests are mandated to present a valid ID during check in , they should never allow a hotel clerk walk away with the ID .
“ Scanning an ID is as secure as the hotel ’ s property management system , but never let a clerk photocopy your ID since it can then be left on a desk or put in a file that is not secure . Credit cards should never be copied or scanned using only a PCI compliant reader ,” Blidner says . “ If a hotel has seen fake IDs , which is not very prevalent , then some scanners can also do authentication to check the ID for being a fake . These scanners can include ultra-violet and infrared technology to look for tampering and then compare against all known templates for even minor changes . Cost typically range from US $ 1,000 and up but a single chargeback could equal much more .”
While many hotels have adopted a Software-as-a-service ( SaaS ) to offer guests the convenience of contactless check in , it poses a supply chain risk to keep guests details confidential through thirdparty vendors . “ It is important that hotel security professionals conduct a proper security assessment of their third-party suppliers to ensure that security practices either meet or exceed the expectations you have on your own in-house applications ,” Blidner adds .
Protecting APIs is the first priority for the hospitality and travel industry over the next 12 months as it will go a long way to protecting
PROTECTING APIS IS THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AS IT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO PROTECTING GUESTS ’ PERSONAL INFORMATION .
guests ’ personal information , says DataDome ’ s Fabre . Hotels need to ensure their payment gateways use the Address Verification System ( AVS ) and Credit Verification Value ( CVV ).
“ AVS checks if the billing address of a customer ’ s account matches
– BENJAMIN FABRE
the one on the card . CVV checks for the three or four-digit number on the back of the card . Both make card fraud significantly harder ,” Fabre adds . “ Also , use HTTPS and a signed SSL / TLS certificate to authenticate , encrypt and decrypt data securely .”
86 hotelsmag . com January / February 2022