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This article discusses how self-service POS systems are now under fire from the ADA for not being accessible to people with disabilities. Most of the lawsuits have claimed that the problems with these systems are 1) they are mounted too high or at angles that are inaccessible for people in wheelchairs, 2) they do provide captions for those with hearing disabilities, and 3) they do not provide tactile feedback for those with visual disabilities. The ADA provides guidance for different types of technology, such as ATMs and vending machines, but has not provided such guidelines for these new POS systems. Because of this, the courts are having difficulty determining how to better enable these POS devices to work for those with disabilities, having to determine what to do for each individual device. Furthermore, these lawsuits pose a big risk to these companies. Businesses need to better evaluate their POS devices in order to make them more user-friendly for all individuals.

Last year a law suit was filed against Wyndham Worldwide because the company did not protect their customer credit card data efficiently on their PMS. The company caused over $10 million in fraudulent losses. In this case, Wyndham had be allegedly using weak login credentials in their property management systems. This is the key vector for data breaches. "According to the FTC, Wyndham Worldwide had many points of weakness in their security chain including; storing credit card information in plain text, storing sensitive security codes (aka CVV/CVS/CVC data), not using firewalls, not enforcing strong passwords, not using updated operating systems, and not having adequate logging.'

Marriott's data breach in 2018 exposed the information of over 500,000 guests including names, addresses, and passport numbers - leading to a class-action lawsuit and falling share values. The California Consumer Privacy Act, taking effect in 2020, gives Californians the right to know what information is collected about them and where this information goes. Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Uber, AT&T and Verizon are lobbying against the CCPA, but data-security regulations are being enacted regardless to protect customers against these breaches.

The role of GDSs in the travel industry has a major impact on revenue, competition, and reservations. In this article, Sabre, one of the largest known GDSs was sued by US Airways for failing to provide a fair contract to the airline. The lawyers from US Airways claimed that Sabre threatened to "cut off the airlines from a network of thousands of travel agents worldwide who depend on inventory that the tech giant provides via desktop software". The jury concluded that Sabre indeed violated antitrust law. Sabre, apparently, charged US Airways increased fees though their cost per transaction decreased because of the advances in technology. According to the article, Sabre argued that the fees were justified relative to the cost that an airline would incur to distribute its fares by other methods. This helped the agents have access to a plethora of information regarding price comparison. In my opinion, this is just a messy situation. However, it goes to show how important and how much of an impact that GDSs have on airline companies. They determine what consumers or agents readily see on the site. They determine how much of a presence a company has. The GDSs provide company information to a worldwide network that markets to consumers. Having a GDS system hold back or increase fees has proved to be detrimental. Ethical issues have come into play. The fact cannot be ignored that the technology being used by Sabre is helping lower cost for transactions. This decrease in cost should have resulted in a decrease in fees for the airlines. Nevertheless, the key to this article is that GDSs have the power (though Sabre did illegally) to determine which avenue a company goes through in regards to apparent competition and markets. The advancement of GDSs is resulting in lower cost transactions and giving agents and consumers "more bang for their buck". So it is important that the relationship between GDSs and airline companies remain ethical in all ways, especially dealing with

The POS is a great system that is used by many industries. It helps businesses run efficiently and transactions be done effectively. However, it comes with its problems. This article is in two parts so I will post the both on Diigo. This article states that POS systems are the most frequently used computing system and it is targeted by criminals. According to the article, "Today, attackers have only become more sophisticated, using advanced software techniques to avoid detection by antivirus. The attackers are attaching devices that are to collect information from the patrons who use the POS system. The solution to this issue from the article, is that managers apply the same security practices to the POS systems that are used for other sensitive IT systems. These systems should not be the same system used for internet browsing or email. Using a third party security is system is fine however, they should ensure that security controls are part of regular maintenance. The article states that businesses should look for POS systems that have design improvements rather than those who have been in the industry for a long time. There needs to be upgraded design, security, and software to minimize the threats that are posed on the POS system. This article highlights the issues that POS systems attract and also gives solutions. It is up to the businesses to give as much attention as possible to this system the same way they do for systems with sensitive information. Ultimately credit card transactions do hold sensitive information so the upgraded POS systems should be the number one choice for a business. Along with what is stated in the articles, this minimizes the risk of customer loss and a damaged reputation. This also helps minimize the possibility of revenue loss due to lawsuits because of breaches.

Bitsight examines the 2018 Marriott reservation management database breach. Using the breach as an example, this article shows how poorly the hospitality and tourism industry performs in cybersecurity versus other sectors.

PCI compliance, what is it, how to make sure you are compliant, why do we care?

The Atlantic Paste and Glue Company (AP&G) has just release for consumer sale a new passive bed bug monitoring product. The product is called the Bedbug Early Detection System or BEDS for short and is a ingenious and inexpensive way for homeowners, apartment dwellers, hoteliers and property managers to monitor for bed bugs with a very unobtrusive footprint. This technology will help hotel avoid the embarrassment and potential lawsuit that would occur if bedbugs were discovered at their establishment.

This article discussed the need for the IT department to be involved whenever an employee is terminated. This practice should be in place because there can be security threats if former employees still have access to company records and data. The article gave three principles that companies should strictly adhere to when terminating employees: Prompt notification of termination, prudent revocation of access (both on-site and remote) and preemptive preservation of data. This article makes some very interesting points, because we don't often think of termination from an IT standpoint. But it is crucial that former employees no longer have access to company data, and that the company preserves certain data that will be useful if the employee seeks a lawsuit. I have a somewhat relevant example in that a former apartment complex I lived in never requested the barcode scanner for my vehicle when I moved. Just for fun one day, I tried to drive through the gate to see if my scanner still worked. It did! Good for me, but not so good for the complex, as hundreds of former tenants could still access the property with ease. This example reinforces the fact that IT must be involved even in employee terminations.

Terminating an employee is not thought to include the IT department. However, this article points out the relevance the IT department has in the process. The HRIS is efficient for the HR department to collect data on all employees. And the IT department is responsible for taking the employee off the HRIS and stop data collection. They are also responsible for ceasing access from the terminated employee to any company related information. The author suggests that the company dismiss any online access to the employee to prevent theft, hacking or any other harm to the company. The IT department must also make sure the employees private information stored in the system must be preserved. If not taken care of considerately, there is a possibility for a legal issue to arise. This is why the IT department, amongst the HR department and executive staff, should be included in the termination of employees.

1. IT The hot-button issue within the realm of hotel-information technology is mobile and cloud technology.A company could have tens of thousands of smartphones or laptops in the field at any given point-each a potential gateway to hackers and other criminals. To the problem the core principle is to provide end-to-end data protection with looking at cost and benefit and how it's supports the business. 2. Terrorism Ironically, one of the main reasons terrorism tops the list is because it has become less of an issue in recent years.Hoteliers need to keep their staffs and travelers mindful of possible threats, but they don't want to scare them. 3. Skimmers A related threat is that of "skimmers," or devices that catch credit card numbers when consumers use them for payment.The best prevention measure is to have an investigative team or third party on hand and making that known to employees. 4. Liability and insurance fraud These two related issues can double, triple, quadruple and quintuple corporate insurance premiums in the blink of an eye. The advisement is hoteliers to educate themselves on the issue, consulting with an attorney, if necessary. 5. Security as taboo "Security" still is something of a taboo in the global hotel industry.Hoteliers need to do a better job of "turning on the light" by talking about security openly and regularly at staff and association meetings, and hotel executives should insist their GMs make security a priority

1. ITAccording to the article, most mobile devices that are used for business are unprotected. Meaning that the devices if the device even have a password and if it does the password is not very complex. There could be thousands of employees accessing company information via the cloud through unprotected smart phones or other mobile devices. This could organizations at risk to hackers and other criminals  2.  TerrorismAlthough terrorist threats are less of a concern nowadays, that does not mean hotel managers should discontinue stressing the importance of security within their establishments. Keeping employees aware and diligent can prove to be a delicate assignment but it is a necessary of part of maintaining a safe work environment in the twenty-first century. 3.  SkimmersSkimmers are devices that steal credit card numbers when consumers use them for payment. Unfortunately, it is most commonly an employee on the inside who is committing the crime.  A third party investigation team will be needed to prove who is stealing from the establishment.  4. Liability and Insurance FraudCombined, these two issues could sky rocket a company's insurance costs through the roof. It is crucial that hoteliers be aware of the legal system and educates themselves on issues concerning liability. Both patrons and employees alike could potentially file claims against an establishment and entitlements can quickly get out of hand.    5.  SecurityDespite the best security measures, there is always the possibility of unforeseen danger. This fear of the unknown is a concern for hotel workers. To confront this fear of the unknown managers must regularly and openly discuss security with employees.  Security should be held as a top priority. 

This article discusses five main concerns brought on by the current state of hotel security. I must say that some of this information surprised me. Something that especially surprised me was learning that mobile devices that are used for business hardly use passwords. The article states, "Amplifying the problem is the sheer number of devices, he added. A company could have tens of thousands of smartphones or laptops in the field at any given point-each a potential gateway to hackers and other criminals." This piece of information is very unsettling to me. How could such valuable information not be protected? The article suggests the solution to this problem is PCI DSS. Terrorism as number two on this list also surprised me because that is not something that would first come to mind for me. The article states that it is ironically on the list for becoming less of an issue. I suppose this reminds hoteliers to never let their guard down when it comes to issues of safety and security within the hotel. However, "skimmers" and liability on this list does not really surprise me. The article suggests that hoteliers be educated about these issues to protect the hotel against them.

The Oyster Bay Beach Resort is a highrise hotel in St. Martin that promises guests white-sand beaches, "breathtaking" views of the Caribbean and a "paradise found."But Jack Permadi says he found more than that when he stayed at the property recently.

Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung last year alleging smartphones and computer tablets made by the world's largest technology company are illegal knockoffs of Apple's popular iPhone and iPad products. Cupertino-based Apple is demanding $2.5 billion in damages, an award that would dwarf the largest patent-related verdict to date.

This article talks about ways to increase hotel security. Although hotels may have proper security and policies in place to protect the property, they are often subject to cyber cyber-attacks, break- ins, theft, fraud, and other crimes. Lack of proper security in hotels may lead to increased guests losing belongings to theft. As vice president of global safety, Callaghan spent 35 years with Marriott International. He was responsible for properties throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. During his career, he could manage everything from the integration of new technologies such as electronic locks and computer surveillance systems to implementing anti-terrorism procedures. The following list shares Callaghan tips on guest safety, internal theft, and cyber security that can help owners and operators avoid down time, reputation loss, liability, and lawsuits. This ensures property security and that information in up to date.

Security is really important in the hospitality industry. It's vulnerable to cyber attacks, break-ins, theft, fraud, and other crimes. The security means a better, safer, guest experience. Since the Las Vegas shooting, we need to pay more attention to the safety and security. There are many ways to increase hotel security. Like the update locks. Locks that can track who goes in and out of rooms can serve as a deterrent to theft. Make time for safety meetings. Monitor activity with software. We also can use closed-circuit television to monitor the property doesn't matter too much if no one is looking at the monitors. We can evaluate and improve. For the Las Vegas shooting, hotel said that they should do something immediately to protect from another event happening. We also can use meet and greet to improve the security problem. It's the effective and simplest way. Employees should also look out for people who don't fit the profile of the hotel's typical guest.

This article goes over the multiple lawsuits that Marriot had to face due to a massive cyberattack in 2015 where multiple credit card numbers were leaked. I think this is a perfect example of how cloud computing is not a bulletproof system at the moment and how it still has much room to grow. Similar cyberattacks happen all over the world some on a smaller scale and some on a larger one. I believe this is an article that everyone should read to truly understand the reproductions that a company can face if they don't have a strong cyber defense.

TravelPass Group LLC raised a lawsuit with the Utah attorney general to investigate Expedia conspiring with Marriott, Hilton and other hotel companies to manipulate search advertising on Google. Under federal law it is illegal for companies to work together to harm competition. In 2014, hotel companies agreed to stop bidding but Expedia continued to coordinate and act as a go between for the companies and providing reports on compliance with the agreement.

This article discusses a data breach that Ticketfly, a ticket booking online service, suffered due to hackers breaking in. Ticketfly is owned by major event booking company Eventbrite, and according to the article, Eventbrite failed to have adequate cybersecurity to prevent the breach, causing over 27 million customer information to be disclosed to the hackers. This just highlights the horrors that can happen when booking through a event registration software.

This article talks about what cybersecurity is and shows you how a cyberattack can unfold. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information, extorting money from users, or interrupting normal business processes. Technology is essential to giving organizations and individuals the computer security tools needed to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. Three main entities must be protected: endpoint devices like computers, smart devices, and routers; networks; and the cloud. In today's connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cyber defense programs. At an individual level, a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft, to extortion attempts, to the loss of essential data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructures like power plants, hospitals, and financial service companies. Securing these and other organizations is vital to keeping our society functioning

This article explains what is cyber security and why it is essential. Not securing our important data can have negative outcomes such as loss of identity, financial damage, and potential lawsuits.