Hotels' property management systems are a "very attractive" target for "people who wish to commit fraud, just be annoying and impact [the hotel] industry in a negative way," according to a federal cybersecurity expert.

Speaking during an online session with Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals, Bill Newhouse, cybersecurity engineer and project lead for the National Institute of Standards and Technology and National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, said hospitality businesses may be particularly vulnerable to attacks because they're asked to hold on to sensitive data "way longer than other industries."

"I may make a reservation this week for next year's conference in San Francisco," he said. "Holding that information, not losing it and not causing a breach is something the payment card industry requires of this space you're in."

Read the full article at HotelNewsNow (part of CoStar)