Hotel Network Security

A study of 147 U.S. hotels finds a mixed picture with regard to the security of guests’
connections to the hotels’ network, whether by cable or wi-fi. Since many business travelers
connect remotely to continue working while on the road, the potential for theft of corporate
information exists. Some hotels still rely on relatively rudimentary hub technology for their
networks, and these are particularly subject to hacking. Others have upgraded to more secure switches
or routers. Even better is encryption for wi-fi connections, but that still does not prevent malicious
users from intercepting guests’ transmissions. An example of a best practice is presented in the case of
the W Dallas Hotel–Victory, which has set up virtual local area networks (VLANs) for all of its users.
The VLAN inhibits attackers from using their computer to imitate the hotel’s main server, which is the
mechanism most would use to intercept other people’s data. Given that the technology exists to increase
a hotel network’s security, a hotel could potentially be considered at fault for not taking the necessary
precautions to protect their guests from hackers.