Hospitality cannot afford to take password security lightly. Hotels hold a wealth of data from credit card details to guests’ personal preferences, making them prime targets for hackers.

A strong password storage policy isn’t just a technical necessity—it’s a cornerstone of trust for guests.

In this week’s feature of the VENZA Echo, we’ll review the importance of setting strong organizational password policies and provide some tips for the best practices of doing so.

Let’s get to it.

The Importance of Strong Password Storage Policies

It is essential that your organization sets and adheres to a formal, universal password policy. Doing so, rather than relying on informal, ad hoc practices, brings several important benefits. These include:

1. Standardization. An organizational policy ensures that every staff member, from the front desk to upper management, adheres to the same security standards. This uniformity removes guesswork and ensures consistent security measures throughout the hotel.

2. Accountability. A formal policy outlines clear expectations, making it easier to hold staff accountable for security lapses. It also emphasizes the shared responsibility among all team members to maintain the integrity of guest and organizational data.

3. Compliance. Hospitality is subject to stringent regulations regarding data protection. A formalized password policy helps you remain compliant and avoid potential legal repercussions and fines.

4. Guest Trust. Guests need assurance that their chosen hotel operates under rigorous, standardized security protocols. A well-publicized, formal password policy can bolster confidence and trust in the establishment’s commitment to data protection.

Best Practices for Password Storage

Best practices can be enshrined within an organizational password policy to encourage your staff to adopt and follow the most rigorous and secure storage methods.

VENZA recommends the following:

1. Adopt Password Managers. For staff, a trusted password manager can generate and store intricate passwords, ensuring high security levels without the struggle of remembering every single password.

2. Establish Monitoring and Alert Systems. Having a system in place that flags suspicious activities, such as repeated failed login attempts or system access from new devices, can help in early threat detection. If a hotel’s booking system detects anomalies, it could initiate a temporary account lock and notify the guest immediately.

3. Promote Regular Updates. Both guests and staff should be encouraged to change their passwords frequently. After any significant system update or suspected security threats, prompt everyone to revise their passwords.

5. Require Strong Password Creation. Insist on passwords that contain a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Longer passwords made of random words or phrases, like “MangoSunset&ParisRain!” instead of just “Hotel123,” can be both memorable and secure.

6. Consider Hashing: Hashing is a technique that transforms your password into a completely different set of characters, making it look like gibberish. It’s a one-way process, meaning once the password is turned into this gibberish, you can’t turn it back to the original. This is why many experts prefer hashing over encryption, which can be reversed. If a hacker ever gets their hands on this hash, they can’t do much with it because they won’t know the real password it represents.

Conclusion

Adopting rigorous password policies ensures the protection of sensitive data and upholds the trust guests place in the industry.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be. VENZA is here to help. Cybersecurity is complex, but in partnership with us, your company can get started in as little as one month. Get a live demonstration today by contacting our Customer Success Team.

Ready to elevate your game? Contact Sales to discuss signing up for our programs or adding new solutions to your contract.

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Take VENZA’s free Phishing Test to assess gaps in your human firewall today!

Training your personnel to recognize and report phishing attempts is essential to protecting your guests and their data. Get started by determining your risk and readiness level using this free tool.

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