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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Enhancing your security: Two-factor authentication coming soon to Seekom
Get ready for a significant security upgrade! We're excited to announce that two-factor authentication (2FA) will be rolling out to all Seekom users in the next quarter. This enhancement will help protect both your business and your guests' information with minimal effect on your operations.
What is 2FA?
2FA is a security protocol that requires two forms of verification to be provided before access is granted to a user account or system – like requiring two keys to unlock a door rather than just one. This added layer of security ensures that only authorised users can gain access, even if someone else knows the password.
Why does it need to be done?
Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) is important because it adds an extra layer of security to your account, making it much harder for unauthorised users to gain access:
- Strengthens security: 2FA requires two forms of verification - typically something you know (your password) and something you have (like your smartphone or an authentication app). Even if someone steals your password, they can’t access your account without the second factor.
- Protects against phishing: Phishing attacks can trick you into revealing your password, but with 2FA, even if your password is compromised, the phisher would still need the second factor to complete the login.
- Prevents account takeovers: With the extra layer of security, 2FA greatly reduces the chances of hackers taking over your account, especially when passwords are shared or reused across different sites by different people.
- Safeguards sensitive information: For accounts holding sensitive information – such as guests’ personal information, bank details and emails – 2FA helps prevent unauthorised access that could result in identity theft, financial loss, or privacy breaches.
2FA is a simple and effective way to significantly improve your online security and protect both your and your customers' personal information, as well as limit the chance of reputational damage to your business.
Setting up 2FA is quick, easy and typically takes less than five minutes per user. Each user on your Seekom account will just need to download either the Google Authenticator App or Microsoft Authenticator App on their smartphone, scan a QR code from your Seekom account, and they’ll be ready to go with an extra layer of security armour protecting your data.
We regard 2FA as such an essential part of our online security approach that all Seekom staff are required to use 2FA and cannot access our Seekom iBex system without it.
Rest assured we will try to make the upgrade to 2FA go as smoothly as possible for you.
What to do to get ready for 2FA?
Make sure everyone is set up with their own individual logins. We offer unlimited user logins with all our plans to make this easy (unlike some of our competitors who charge for additional users). A user guide on how to set up staff logins can be viewed here.
Having all staff set up with their own login is best practice, as it allows you to see who has done what on the system, whether making a booking, upselling an item or actioning a rate change.
2FA works for both Google Authenticator app and Microsoft Authenticator App, with each user needing access to their own smartphone to activate their unique code.
When 2FA is first rolled out it will be a ‘soft launch’, which means you’ll be able to opt in and set up 2FA at a time that’s convenient for you and your accommodation property, rather than being made to do it immediately, including potentially during peak check-in times. The opt in option will be available for a few weeks, after which it will become compulsory and will be switched on for all accounts.
For the time being we just want to make you aware of the forthcoming 2FA roll out. No action is required on your part for now, although it’s an ideal time to make sure all your staff have their own individual logins.
We’ll confirm the start date of the soft launch roll out closer to the time and will look forward to taking the next step in our mission to keep your business and the data it holds safer and more secure than ever before.
Recent Blog Post
Smarts to help you operate more effectively and efficiently. From guides of our systems and integrations to tips and tricks you can use every day - we've got you covered.
Get more stories from Seekom in your inbox.
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)