Category Archives: Theft

by | August 25, 2011 · 3:23 pm

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Employee Responsible For Spotting And Reporting Thief On Property

“…A housekeeper saw a man with a metal tool in his hand get out of a Chevy Malibu and peer into the window of a car in the lot. The employee recognized it as the same car involved in a break-in the prior week…”

An observant hotel maid helped nab people believed to be responsible for thefts in a number of communities. According to the Wauwatosa police report:

An 18-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for theft and retail theft and a 17-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for retail theft after they were seen prowling in Crowne Plaza Hotel parking lot, 10499 Innovation Drive, at 3:56 p.m. Aug. 14.

The vehicle also matched the description of a car seen driving away from a retail theft at Advanced Auto Parts on 121st Street and Capitol Drive in July. The stolen auto parts were found still in the trunk.

Menomonee Falls, Germantown and Greenfield police believe the duo also is responsible for thefts in their communities.

For more:  http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/128324293.html

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by | August 16, 2011 · 8:43 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Valuable Original Artwork Stolen From Los Angeles Hotel Located After "News Coverage" Leads To Tip; Hotel Security Video Holds Key To Finding Suspects (Video)

“We got an anonymous tip because there was so much news coverage…That really was the turning point. The news coverage led people to call us and say, ‘Hey, I’ve seen this, and this is where I’ve seen it.’

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-PNBTI5Crw&feature=player_embedded]

“…High-tech specialists are scouring hotel security video, and authorities may release a sketch or stills of the suspects later this week or next week…”

 

Owners of the drawing, known as “The Judgment,” verified just after midnight that the recovered 11 X 16 inch pen-and-ink artwork was indeed the original that had vanished from an exhibit on Saturday night, said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Police Department.

An anonymous tip led investigators to the church around 7 p.m. on Monday. Experts from the Linearis Institute, which owns the drawing, later verified its authenticity, he said.

There are no suspects in custody, and authorities are not commenting on how the drawing — valued at $250,000 — ended up at the church on Ventura Boulevard in the city about 25 miles from Los Angeles. They also are not confirming the name of the church.

The drawing was in “a building on the church grounds, not in the sanctuary,” Whitmore said. It wasn’t hanging on a wall or otherwise displayed, he said.

For more:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/16/us-rembrandt-heist-california-idUSTRE77F49620110816

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by | August 15, 2011 · 5:31 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security: Hotels And Resorts Are Targeted For Cyber Attacks Because Of Faulty "Data Collection Practices"

“…The report said the largest share of cyber attacks — 38% — were aimed at hotels, resorts and tour companies…”

“… large hotel chains are most vulnerable because hotel management companies may not be able to monitor how data is collected and stored at dozens or even hundreds of properties throughout the world. Independent contractors who work for individual hotels can also open the door to hackers and computer viruses…”

A business traveler who books hotel rooms via the Internet, may be at higher risk of being victimized by computer hackers and identity thieves.

Insurance claims for data theft worldwide jumped 56% last year, with a bigger number of those attacks targeting the hospitality industry, according to a new report by Willis Group Holdings, a British insurance firm.

That could spell trouble for business travelers who submit credit card numbers and other personal information to hotel websites, said Laurie Fraser, global markets leisure practice leader for Willis.

For more:  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-20110815,0,65581.story

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by | August 8, 2011 · 6:09 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: West Virginia Hotel Foils Flat Panel TV Theft With Electronic Key Audit; Thief Was Guest Who Was Fined $250 For Smoking In Room

“….a West Virginia man was fined $250 for smoking in his room…(the extra charge was added) onto the bill and slipped under the door…(he) was so upset that he retaliated by stealing a $500 flat-screen television from the hotel’s workout room, Palm Beach police said…”

The hotel found its thief by auditing the guest keys used to access the workout room, police said. It then located an object the size of the missing television hidden by a bed sheet in Nelson’s rental vehicle.

But some quick detective work by police and a hotel employee led to Nelson’s arrest Friday on a charge of grand theft. Police took him to the Palm Beach County Jail.

Nelson told detectives he used a penny to unscrew some screws and a tire iron to break a lock that held the television to a wall bracket.

For more:  http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/smoking-fine-spurs-theft-of-hotel-flat-screen-820141.html

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by | August 5, 2011 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: "Cyber Attack Claims" Increase 56% Mainly Through "Rogue Employees, Malicious Attacks, And Mistakes By Outsourcing Firms"

“…The vast quantities of personal, identifiable information collected by the leisure and hospitality industry have made the sector a chief target for cyber attacks, according to Willis…with reports of a 56% rise in cyber claims over the past year….”

“…Rogue employees, malicious attacks, and mistakes by outsourcing firms appear to be the main culprits, with hackers getting ever-more sophisticated in their attempts to drain corporate databases of customers’ personal details…”

Willis warns that some breaches can cost in excess of $100 million and with more stringent data protection legislation coming into force, companies’ financial exposure to this type of crime will increase further.

“Recent breakthroughs include the introduction of identity theft solutions and Payment Card Industry fines coverage, which helps to protect companies from penalties linked to the mismanagement of credit card data.”

For more:  http://www.insurancedaily.co.uk/2011/08/03/hospitality-and-leisure-attract-cyber-attacks/

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by | August 3, 2011 · 6:43 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Theft Risks: Maryland Hotel And Convention Managers Indicted For Theft In Employee Insurance Scam

“…authorities believe that Mohammad and Rowhani stole about $17,000 from roughly 19 employees who thought the money was being put into an account to pay for insurance…”

A trial date has been set for two Hagerstown Hotel and Convention Center senior managers who prosecutors allege stole about $17,000 from employees during an insurance scam.

Hassan Mohammad, 56, and his wife, Yasamane Rowhani, 47, both of 2142 Cathedral Ave. in Washington, D.C., were indicted by a Washington County grand jury on one count each of theft/scheme over $500 and conspiracy to commit theft/scheme over $500, according to Washington County Circuit Court documents.

For more:  http://articles.herald-mail.com/2011-08-02/news/29844890_1_trial-date-scheme-insurance-scam

 

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by | July 29, 2011 · 6:45 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Hotel Bathrobes, Towels, And Bedroom Supplies Can Be Monitored By RFID Technology

“…hotels are using the tech to monitor the whereabouts of bathrobes, bed sheets, duvet covers, bathmats, pool towels and banquet linens…”

“…Up to 20 per cent of hotels’ stock typically go missing, estimates William Serbin of Linen Tracking Technology…”

The RFID technology – which stands for radio frequency identification and requires an installed chip that can be read by an electronic reader – has been used by various industries for several years to organise product storage and tally shipments.

The company, which sells trackable linens, has teamed with Fluensee, an inventory tracking technology firm, to market the RFID tags to hotels.

A towel with a chip is about a dollar more than other towels, he says. Bendable and washable, the tags can be read by sensors up to six feet away.

When towels are removed from a closet, for example, a reader station can register how many, so that the closet can be restocked.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019930/Hotels-combat-towel-theft-electric-tags-traceable-microchips.html#ixzz1TVODXBal

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by | July 25, 2011 · 10:29 am

Hospitality Industry Cybercrime Risks: Hotel Management Must Insure Against "Illegal Use" Of Internet Access By Individuals Engaging In "Online Piracy"

“Small businesses that offer Internet access, such as a coffee shop or a hotel or even a car mechanic with a waiting area, should be aware of the industry’s crackdown on piracy and take steps to ensure their customers aren’t using the service to steal content,”

 “…people don’t want to pirate music from home because they’re afraid of getting caught, so they’ll use the WiFi connection of a (outside business)…”

The National Federation of Independent Business, a non-profit small-business association, issued a warning to Main Street entrepreneurs who offer Internet access to their customers: Take steps now to avoid allegations of online piracy. Record labels, movie studios and other industry groups recently struck a deal where participating Internet providers will issue warnings to customers whose accounts are allegedly used to steal content.

Under the deal, customers whose accounts are allegedly used for piracy will receive at least five alerts from their Internet provider. Upon sending the fifth notice, the Internet provider may implement certain “mitigation measures” to stop the alleged piracy, including reducing Internet speeds or redirecting traffic to a special landing page until the customer contacts the Internet provider to discuss the issue.

“Internet service providers wouldn’t have to pull the plug on a customer after the sixth notice, but that’s a possibility, and that’s where businesses have to watch out,” said Beth Milito, senior executive counsel for the NFIB. “Small businesses rely on their Internet connections the same way they do the telephone. It’s how they communicate with customers and vendors. It’s where they do business.”

  • One easy way to discourage abuse for businesses offering WiFi is to prevent people who aren’t customers from using their Internet connection by requiring a password. “For example, they could print a password on the receipt and change it periodically, to prevent non-customers from using the service,” Milito said.
  • Businesses can also block access to certain Websites and types of Websites, she added. “This requires a little bit of know-how on the part of the small-business owner, and it may accidentally block access to legitimate Websites, but it also can discourage people from using a business’s network to steal content,” she said. “With more and more people carrying smartphones and even tablets, free WiFi can help a small business attract and keep customers, but unless a business owner uses commonsense and takes precautions, those customers could come at a hefty price.”

For more:  http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Security-an-Issue-for-Businesses-Offering-Free-WiFi-253920/

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by | July 14, 2011 · 7:14 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Credit Card Security: Tips For Securing Hotel Computer Systems Against Credit Card Data Theft (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCmZ9DlrI9o]

Sue Zloth, is a member of the HFTP PCI Compliance Roundtable, provides key tips for securing guests’ credit card data at the 2011 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) conference.

  • Change default passwords on all new information systems
  • Do not allow remote access into hotel computer systems
  • Minimize areas where credit card data is stored

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by | July 5, 2011 · 8:22 am

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: Hotel Computer Systems Are Increasingly "Breached" Through "Privileged Users" Who Have Total Access To Sensitive Data

“..security breaches are still happening at an even more significant pace with more damaging results.  In the end, many of these advanced intrusions and data security breaches are focused on taking over access to the accounts and permissions of specific “privileged” users in an organization who have access to sensitive data…”

“…These privileged users are specifically targeted by outside hackers because they have proverbial keys to the kingdom, but in some cases the inside user themselves is intent on stealing or doing damage…” 

One solution that is emerging to this problem is to carefully monitor everything (e.g. every key stroke and every mouse click) that a privileged user does on the network, while also putting more granular limits on what they can do.  Basically “trust but verify,” with the goal being detecting any anomalies in a privileged user’s computing usage (e.g. why is this person downloading the source code at 3 a.m.?).  This is not uncommon as it relates to other privileged users in other jobs — the “Eye in the Sky” in the casinos in Las Vegas is equally monitoring the gamblers for cheating but is also monitoring the dealers, and at a bank the CCTV is not only looking for robbers but the teller slipping some money in their pocket.

Instructive of the value of this new approach is that immediately after its breach, the RSA division of EMC acquired private company Netwitness for a reported large premium.  Netwitness is known for analyzing user activity monitoring at the network layer.  In addition, the latest security vendor to file for an IPO, Imperva, has as its core solution the ability to monitor database access and usage by Database Administrators, another type of privileged user.

For more:  http://blogs.forbes.com/tomkemp/2011/07/05/as-hacks-proliferate-new-security-technology-emerges-to-monitor-privileged-it-users/

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