Cyber-Attack Takes Omni Hotels & Resorts Offline; Here's How To Travel Safely

In early April, Omni Hotels & Resorts experienced a cyber-attack that brought down its entire IT system, leading to a company-wide outage. The organization swiftly took the entire network offline to isolate the issue, protect its data, and prevent further damage. This necessary action, however, severely impacted the hotel's operations and daily functions, such as managing reservations, unlocking hotel room doors manually, and using point-of-sale (POS) systems in its restaurants and shops. Estimates suggest this attack could cost Omni over a million dollars. While the hotel has not confirmed the specifics, several sources speculate that it was a ransomware attack similar to the one that hit MGM in Las Vegas a few months ago.

Most customers noticed the inconveniences caused by the Omni outage, but many were unaware of the broader dangers associated with cyber-attacks. When a network is compromised, every connected device is at risk unless protected by high-grade cybersecurity tools. Whether traveling for work or leisure, treating all connections as potential risks is crucial. Here are some tips to help keep you safe on the road or during your vacation this summer:

1. Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi in hotels: This advice also applies to coffee shops, airport lounges, and other public places. If a network is compromised and you connect to it, hackers could gain access to your devices.
2. Disable the auto-connect feature: Even if you don't actively connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi, your device might automatically connect to a fake Wi-Fi network set up by hackers. Turn off this feature and only connect manually to trusted sources.
3. Use your phone's hotspot: Instead of using public Wi-Fi, use your phone's hotspot to connect your other devices to the internet. If your phone doesn't have this feature, your wireless provider can often add it for you.

These tips can help protect you, but if you travel for work or have employees who do, it's vital to ensure all work devices have professional-grade cybersecurity tools installed. You don't want to send your sales team to a hotel-hosted trade show and have them return with malware that could cripple your company.

This incident serves as a stark reminder for all Lehigh Valley business owners: No matter the size of your company, you can still fall victim to a cyber-attack. Omni Hotels & Resorts, with over 50 properties nationwide, likely has a substantial budget for cybersecurity, yet it still fell victim to hackers. No system is entirely impenetrable, but small business owners who lack security measures are putting a big red target on their backs.

If you don't have a cybersecurity system in place, or if you do and someone else manages it but you want a second opinion, we offer a FREE Consult. This assessment will thoroughly examine your network to identify vulnerabilities and propose solutions to fix them.