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THE CYBER SKILLS GAP IN THE HOTEL SECTOR by CLAIRE GILLESPIE, DIGITAL SKILLS MANAGER FOR SKILLS DEVELOPEMENT SCOTLAND AND CYBER SCOTLAND PARTNERSHIPS
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ccording to ISC2, the global cyber security workforce skills gap has now exceeded three million, yet a recent survey by DCMS found that almost half (48%) of businesses in the UK are missing some basic technical skills and around 30% missing advanced skills – the hotel industry included. Fear around cyber security is generally easing as it becomes a topic that people are more comfortable discussing and they understand the wider impact. But when it comes to the workplace, not enough people consider cyber their responsibility. They feel ill equipped from a skills perspective. This lack of basic skills needs to be addressed, particularly for businesses that have added more digital functionality such as reservation systems, EPOS ordering systems, and contactless payments. At a time when the tourism and hospitality sector is cautiously reopening and survival is top of mind, no one wants to be blindsided by a cyber security-related incident. Yet it is when industries are at their
most vulnerable that criminals like to attack. This makes now the perfect time for hotels to review processes – cyber included – to increase business resilience.
Create awareness internally Being cyber savvy doesn’t necessarily require a formal education or certificate; we all have the potential to protect the businesses we work for from a cyber attack. It is the role of the senior management to define what that looks like – for example, those in reservations will require different access to computers than those in the kitchen. But everyone has a role to play, and it starts with awareness. As hotels reopen and new staff come on board, it makes sense to review (and potentially update) induction programmes and staff handbooks to detail what staff should do to prevent or respond to a cyber incident. This is important for everyone, but particularly those with access to the hotel’s IT systems. Guidance should also be updated to consider what staff should do AUGUST 2021• HOTELSCOTLAND • 9
