Most people believe that the finance and healthcare industries are the most susceptible to cyber attacks. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, the travel and hospitality industries are targeted by over 38% of all attacks. The main targets are business travelers who book rooms and flights online.
Despite the strides that have been made to better protect consumer’s personal information, insurance claims for data theft rose 56% last year. According to Laurie Frasier, a global markets leisure practice leader for Willis Group Holdings, large hotel chains are the most vulnerable. The customer data for these large customers can be stored at dozens or hundreds of different data centers around the world. Monitoring employee practices and enforcing company protocol at so many locations will always be an ongoing problem for these companies.
As scary as this sounds there are steps that you can take to protect your information and identity when you travel. One step that we advise all clients to take is to double-check that they only divulge personal information to the company you are booking with. As basic as this sounds, more and more of our clients have found themselves victims of a process called “phishing”.
Hackers set up malicious websites that may even look and feel exactly like the site you are trying to access. Once you are on these sites they collect all the data you enter, such as credit card or social security numbers. There are two simple ways to protect yourself from these attacks. The easiest step you can take is to update your internet browser to the latest version. All of the modern web browsers have built-in phishing protection that will alert you if you arrive at a malicious site.
Even an updated browser cannot protect you from all attackers. This is why you always have to be vigilant. If you get an email from a hotel you have never done business with, asking you to update your information, that is most likely someone looking to steal your information.
While these tactics will protect you from most attacks, consumers are still at the mercy of the corporations that collect user data. Although these companies do the best they can to protect personal information, hackers are employing more and more advanced techniques that may be successful. Because of this we recommend that our clients who travel frequently check their credit reports to see if there is any suspicious activity.
By law you have access to your credit report three times a year. Don’t be fooled by the jingles you hear on television. The ONLY place to receive your free federally mandated credit reports is www.annualcreditreport.com.
We will have more information in the future about the threats travelers face. To stay updated, join our cyber liability mailing list to receive the latest news and tips to protect yourself from predators.