Your Winter Security Checklist: Small Steps That Make a Big Difference
Winter is a good time to take stock. The team gets a breather, and there's finally a moment to look after the things that often get pushed to the back of the queue. Security is usually one of those things.
It doesn't have to be complicated. A few simple habits go a long way towards keeping your property and your guests safe online. So here's a quick checklist. Run through it with your team and you'll be in good shape going into the busy season.
This is the one most properties skip, and it's probably the most important. Had a staff member leave in the last six months? A seasonal worker who came and went? Log into your Seekom account and check who still has access. Old accounts that are no longer in use are an open door, and one that's easy to close.
While you're there, make sure every team member has their own individual login. Shared logins might feel convenient, but they make it impossible to know who did what, and they're much harder to secure.
If you haven't already enabled Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your Seekom account, winter is the perfect time to sort it out. 2FA means that even if someone gets hold of a team member's password, they still can't get in without a second verification step. It's one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to protect your account, and it takes about five minutes to set up.
Our support team is happy to walk you through it. Just give us a call or drop us a message during business hours.
We know, we know. It's easier to just tell the new person the password. But shared passwords are one of the most common ways accounts get compromised.
The good news is there's no reason to share passwords in Seekom. Every account can have unlimited individual users, so everyone gets their own login with their own access level. Set it up once and you'll never need to share a password again.
Removing old user accounts is step one. But if a former team member knew your passwords, changing the locks matters too. Go through your key systems - your PMS, email accounts, OTA extranets, social media, and update any passwords that might have been shared with someone who’s no longer with you.
While you're at it, make sure passwords aren't being reused across different platforms. If one account gets compromised and the password is the same everywhere, the damage spreads fast. A password manager can take the headache out of keeping track of them all.
Your email account is the key to the kingdom. If someone gets into it, they can reset passwords for pretty much everything else. Yet email is often the last thing people think to protect.
A few quick wins:
- Enable two-factor authentication on your business email account, not just your PMS
- Check who has access to shared inboxes like info@ or reservations@ and remove anyone who no longer needs it
- Be careful about what you include in automated guest emails. Avoid putting full booking reference numbers or personal details in subject lines where they can be easily read
- If you get an email that looks like it's from a supplier or OTA asking you to update payment details or click a link, call them directly to verify before doing anything
Phishing is when someone sends you an email pretending to be a trusted source, trying to get you to hand over your login details or click a dodgy link. It happens more than you'd think in the accommodation industry.
The recent Booking.com breach is a good example of how this plays out. Once scammers had real guest data, including booking details and contact information, they used it to send convincing messages that looked like they came from a legitimate source. Guests were contacted via WhatsApp and email and asked to verify their payment details.
A few things to remind your team:
- Seekom will never ask for your password by email or phone
- If an email asks you to click a link and log in, go directly to the website instead of clicking
- When in doubt, call the company directly using a number you already know
- If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut and check with us
Take a look at your booking form and ask yourself: do we actually need all of this? A lot of properties collect more than they need. Dates of birth, passport numbers, dietary requirements for a property that doesn't serve meals. The less guest data you hold, the less there is to lose if something goes wrong.
Strip your forms back to what you genuinely use. It's better for your guests, better for your liability, and it makes your life simpler too.
If you're taking online payments, it's worth checking that 3D Secure (3DS) authentication is active on your SeekomPay setup. It adds a bank-level verification step for cardholders, which reduces fraud and protects your revenue from chargebacks.
Not sure if you have it switched on? Drop our support team a message and they'll check for you.
Start with whatever feels most overdue for your property. Even ticking off one or two things from this list will put you in a stronger position than you were yesterday. And if you need a hand with any of it, our support team is here. Give us a call or flick us a message and we’ll help you get sorted.
Note: Something you may not know is that we also build websites. Many of our customers have Seekom-built, self managed websites with full control, backed by our expert setup and support. If you’re interested in finding out more, please get in touch.
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Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
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Copyright 2025 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)
Why two-factor authentication is essential for accommodation providers
A recent high-profile cyberattack on a major international hotel group serves as a stark warning about the vulnerabilities in our sector and the critical need for proactive security measures.
Having robust cybersecurity in place has become a necessity in today’s accommodation industry, largely due to the vast amount of guest data stored digitally on internet-connected devices and servers.
While there’s no silver bullet for cyber security, measures such as two factor authentication (2FA) - which requires people to use two different means of verifying themselves when logging into a secure system – can significantly reduce the risk that your business being compromised.
A wake-up call for the industry
A major hotel group, which operates around 80 hotels across seven brands throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe, experienced a significant cyberattack in March and is working through the recovery process – highlighting the complexity of restoring compromised systems.
The impact of the cyberattack has been far-reaching and severely disrupted the hotel group’s normal business operations.
- Offline communication and booking systems: Core booking and communication platforms were forced offline, leaving staff unable to access guest information or process reservations normally.
- Manual workarounds: With digital systems compromised, staff had to implement manual workarounds, creating a surge in customer service inquiries that put significant pressure on staff whose resources were already stretched thin.
- Inability to process online payments: Online payment-processing systems were disabled, forcing staff to rely on manual payment methods – adding a layer of friction to the guest experience.
- Compromised booking information: Questions around the integrity of guest data created challenges in service delivery.
The recovery process continues
The fact that the hotel group is still working to fully restore its systems emphasises the damage cyberattacks can cause and underscores that prevention is better than cure when facing sophisticated online threats.
How two-factor authentication can protect your business
Implementing two-factor authentication is a powerful way to boost cybersecurity and is one of the most effective steps accommodation providers can take to protect their data from malicious cyber threats.
- Extra online armour: 2FA requires two forms of verification before access is granted, making it harder for unauthorised users to access your systems.
- Safeguarding sensitive information: With the wealth of personal and financial data handled by accommodation providers, 2FA helps ensure this information remains protected from security breaches.
- Minimising potential damage: With 2FA in place, it becomes considerably more difficult for bad actors online to cause substantial business disruption.
Staying ahead of industry standards
While many of our competitors may not yet have adopted 2FA, the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks make its implementation critical. Such measures will soon become standard practice. Waiting until after an incident occurs can lead to significant operational disruption, financial losses and reputational damage – not to mention upset guests.
A proactive approach to security
This industry cyberattack is an unfortunate example that reinforces the need for businesses to have robust cybersecurity measures in place to avoid the pitfalls of operating in today’s complex digital landscape. By implementing 2FA, accommodation providers can help safeguard their operations, protect guest data and maintain the trust that forms the foundation of the hospitality business.
At Seekom, we’re committed to providing the tools and support you need to operate securely online. This is why we will be rolling out a phased implementation of mandatory 2FA from 20 May, as an important step in our ongoing efforts to protect your business and your guests.
Rest assured, our support team is on hand to answer any questions you might have and help you implement 2FA smoothly.
When it comes to cybersecurity, being proactive isn’t just good practice – it’s good business.
Ready to get started?
We encourage you to opt in to 2FA as soon as possible rather than waiting until it becomes mandatory. Early adoption allows your team to become familiar with the new login process at a time that suits you.
Thank you for partnering with us in creating a more secure environment for your business and guests. Together, we're taking an important step forward in protecting what matters most.
If you have any questions about the 2FA implementation process, please read our 2FA user guide or contact our friendly support team.
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Contact Us
4/234 Wakefield Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
Phone (NZ) : +64 4 974 9588
Phone (UK) : +44 20 3835 5939
Support: support@seekom.com
Websites: webhelp@seekom.com
Connect With Us
Copyright 2025 © Seekom Limited (NZ owned)