Technology : Security
HiddEn in plain sight
Hotels trying to secure guest Wi-Fi are hard-pressed to solve the issue of ‘ spoofing ,’ where hackers mimic a hotel network to lure users into signing on .
contributed by BrEndan ManLEy
the largest threat to the security of
Experts say hotel Wi-Fi networks is from “ spoofing ,” whereby Wi-Fi users are led by hackers to sign on to rogue networks camouflaged as the hotel ’ s own system . It ’ s something anyone with a mobile hotspot and basic coding knowledge can pull off , and there is not much hotels can do to stop it . For now .
According to sources , the obvious solution in the United States — blocking foreign mobile networks at a property — is no longer an option due to the October 2014 case in which the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) fined Marriott International US $ 600,000 for doing just that . Now hoteliers and technology providers are seeking an alternative , and there is no immediate answer .
“ Wi-Fi is inherently unsafe ,” explains Doug Rice , CEO of Hotel Technology Next Generation ( HTNG ), Schaumburg , Illinois . “ Every security expert would agree , and many
www . hotelsmag . com May 2015 HOTELS 51