Hotel Room Keys are becoming a Big Threat!

I’m going to cover a threat to your information security that you’ve probably never thought of, but is becoming ever more real. You know those little plastic cards that are used to open hotel room doors? Well they present a very tangible threat to your private details. Here’s why...

Each time you visit a hotel you’re normally required to provide certain details including a credit card number when you check in. These details are stored on your hotel room keys too. This not only acts as a security deposit, in case you damage hotel property, but it’s also used to make your stay more convenient, such as allowing you to keep a bar or restaurant tab, order room service or charge dry-cleaning straight to your room.

Normally you’d see this as a benefit right? In an honest world, full of honest people, it would be. Unfortunately we most certainly do not live in an honest world (if we did I wouldn’t be writing this article!).

To a thief, your hotel room key card is a gold nugget! It contains not just your name, address and credit card number, but often also your vehicle type and license plate number. That’s a huge amount of sensitive data in one very risky place!

Now think about what happens when you check out. In most hotels, to facilitate a quick departure, the hotel room keys can be deposited in ‘key return box’ or ‘departure box’ as you leave. By the end of the day this box could quite easily contain hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card details along with names and addresses of the holders. Easy picking for an accomplished thief or a deceitful hotel employee!

Hotel Room Keys Defensive Tips

There’s a very simple way of protecting yourself here, but some people may not be as comfortable with it as others! Take the card with you when you leave. It’s the only way to be absolutely certain the details stored on the card do not fall into the wrong hands! Perhaps that seems wrong to you, but rest assured those small bits of plastic cost little to replace. They get damaged, cracked, bent and lost all of the time! Plus, if the Hotel does actually notice and call me about it, I’d be happy to pay the small amount to replace it, in exchange for guaranteeing the security and privacy of my details.

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