In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, industries like hospitality and food services have become prime targets for cybercriminals. The Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report highlights the alarming frequency and patterns of cyber incidents within this sector, underscoring the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures. At Zifino, we are committed to providing tailored cybersecurity solutions to protect businesses in hospitality and food services from emerging threats.

The State of Cybersecurity in Hospitality and Food Services

According to the Verizon report, the hospitality and food services industry experienced 220 incidents in 2023, with 106 of these involving confirmed data disclosures. This sector faces a unique set of challenges, as highlighted by the report:

• Top Patterns of Breaches: System Intrusion, Social Engineering, and Basic Web Application Attacks account for 92% of breaches in this industry.
• Threat Actors: External actors are responsible for 92% of these breaches, followed by internal actors at 9%, and multiple actors at 1%.
• Actor Motives: Financial motives drive 100% of the breaches.
• Data Compromised: The compromised data primarily includes credentials (50%), personal information (28%), payment details (19%), and system data (19%).

Understanding the Threat Landscape

The prevalence of system intrusion and social engineering attacks presents a significant risk to hospitality and food services businesses. Social engineering has seen a dramatic increase, now accounting for 25% of incidents.

Ransomware remains a persistent threat, with hospitality and food services being a frequent target for this type of attack. Ransomware was involved with 16% of the incidents in the industry. A positive is that the data shows an overall decline in payment card data being compromised from 41% to only 19%—thanks in part to advances in chip technology—cybercriminals are shifting their focus to other areas, such as system intrusions and social engineering.

Why Vulnerability Scanning Matters

At Zifino, we understand that proactive vulnerability scanning is crucial in protecting your business from cyber threats. Regularly scanning your network for vulnerabilities allows you to:

• Identify Weak Points: Detect exposed ports, outdated software, and misconfigured systems.
• Prevent Breaches: Address security flaws before they are exploited by attackers.
• Ensure Compliance: Meet industry regulations and standards for cybersecurity.

How Zifino Can Help

Our advanced cybersecurity solutions are specifically designed to address the unique challenges faced by the hospitality and food services industry. Our offerings include:

• Vulnerability Scanning: Comprehensive scanning to identify and mitigate potential threats.
• Human-in-the-Loop Penetration Testing: Expert-driven testing to uncover vulnerabilities that automated systems might miss.
• External Attack Surface Management: Continuous monitoring and management of your network’s external-facing digital assets, such as servers, email addresses, edge devices and the technologies used to run them.

By partnering with Zifino, you can safeguard your digital assets and ensure that your business operations remain secure. Don’t wait for a cyberattack to expose your vulnerabilities, take proactive steps to manage your attack surfaces and protect your business today.

Get in touch with us to learn more about our cybersecurity solutions and schedule a demo. Let Zifino help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats.