Just when you thought you’d seen everything, the latest in ransomware is really unbelievable! A hotel in Austria was hacked recently, and the hackers locked all the guests out of their rooms! Can you imagine that? They would not unlock the doors unless the ransom was paid. Same ransomware that has been hitting hospitals and medical practices. Below is an excerpt from an article I was reading:
This hotel, like so many others, integrates many of its intricate utilities into a central location; all of which are computer-controlled. The hotel found out the hard way what can happen when an attacker can gain access to such a system. Out of nowhere, this hotel couldn’t issue new key cards, and all of its current ones wouldn’t work. Further, new guests were unable to be checked in, which is a true nightmare for hotel staff.
Fortunately, while the attack took place, all of the hotel’s guests were allegedly out and about, taking in the beautiful slopes that litter the area. Also fortunate: the hotel’s ransom wasn’t that severe – a mere 2 Bitcoin, equivalent to $1,600 USD. Due to the prompt payment, most hotel guests could have been unaware that an attack even took place.
Interestingly, the hotel plans to fight this problem by going a classic route: installing mechanical locks, in lieu of digital ones. This sounds a bit hasty, as the cost and work involved seems unnecessary, and mechanical locks are not without their own faults. If anything, digital locks could end up being more secure, but the software controlling those locks must also be adequately secured from attacks.
As a medical industry professional, ransomware is at the forefront of everything we do. This latest ransomware attack is really driving home the point that our computers are vulnerable, and we MUST do our best to keep them safe.
Read more at http://hothardware.com/news/ransomware-strikes-austrian-hotel-electronic-door-system#JPUjkErY1bjISP0I.99
