Why Cybercriminals Are Targeting Independent Hotels Over Major Chains

A coordinated reservation hijacking campaign across 350+ hotels in 50 countries has disproportionately hit small and medium-size properties rather than major chains. Attackers are exploiting the security posture gap: independent operators typically lack IT resources and rely on third-party booking systems without comprehensive security oversight. The distributed nature of hospitality creates an expansive attack surface that scales poorly for defense.