Cybersecurity is necessary for all businesses, no matter how big or small. However, the hospitality industry has some unique things to consider that other industries may not address. The last thing you want is for guest data to be compromised or for anyone's personal information to fall into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend of data breaches in hotels as hackers use more sophisticated techniques and hotels fail to keep up with the latest  cybersecurity efforts .

Let's explore why cybersecurity  is not only important, but imperative for hotels in the digital age we are living in now.

You wouldn't dream of letting guests stay at your property without proper security measures in place. You must have the same passion and dedication when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting your information. The top cyber threats facing hotels include ransomware, remote hacking, phishing scams and even theft of personal information via public WiFi accounts. What can you do to reduce these risks in your hotel and give your guests peace of mind when it comes to their  information?

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1. How to update your cybersecurity

In order to understand the steps you need to take when it comes to cybersecurity, it's important to take a closer look at the threats your hotel might face. That starts with looking at the vulnerabilities of your current cybersecurity measures. Are you up to date with the latest  security software?

These simple practices can protect you from things like ransomware and data loss. When assessing your vulnerabilities, look at the most obvious things first. Does your hotel offer public WiFi? Then maybe it's time to switch to a password-protected network.

Have you  backed up data to a cloud-based service? Otherwise you  risk  losing all  your data. Finally, look at your team. Hackers are used to unlocking the latest and greatest  cybersecurity technologies. If you run your business with old gear or haven't upgraded things

Years old, you're an even bigger (and easier) target. If you really want to protect your guests and your business, first look at your cybersecurity weaknesses and make changes accordingly.

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2. Have a plan in place

Once you've identified where you're struggling, the next step is to create a plan of action. Most likely, you didn't enter the hospitality industry with a background in cybersecurity. So it's worth it. Learn how to protect your network or work with IT professionals who can help you tighten security. Your specific cybersecurity plan should be unique to your property and the needs of your employees and guests. However, if you are looking for a

A starting point, including some of the following, to start the conversation and jump-start the decision-making process. The security policies and procedures required to protect your organization understand the "hostile" data classification account for information security goals for the specific steps your cloud providers will take to respond to a breach while you are developing work on your strategy. Creating a digital chart can help  keep things organized and concise. You can also
share your plan with others, including  IT professionals you work with. , so everyone is on the same page. Having the right security plan in place and doing all the updates in the world is a good start.

However, if your employees don't have the right training and education, it's still easy for "accidents" to happen. Keeping things easy to understand will ensure your employees know how to deal with cyber threats.

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3. What should you do if there is a breach?

From small businesses to large corporations,  security breaches sometimes happen despite your best efforts. Some of the world's most advanced companies  have fallen victim to cyberattacks. Therefore, in addition to protecting yourself, it is just as important to prepare yourself. Hopefully most of your information is backed up or stored in a cloud-based program so you're not starting  from scratch. However, remember that any kind of hack can lead to corruption of guest data

committed. Your recreation plan must include informing your guests first and foremost. Transparency and empathy will go a long way even before you take steps to recover your data. In many ways, recovering from a data breach simply means sticking with your existing cybersecurity plan  and re-evaluating what might need to be done to make things stronger. It goes back to the initial advice to look for your vulnerabilities.

Where are you most vulnerable? How did the attack come about? It's about more than just patching those holes, it's about making them airtight so the same type of injury doesn't happen again.

You might not always be able to prevent a cyber attack from happening. But, there are plenty of measures you can take to reduce your risk, offering your guests more comfort from the moment they check-in.

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