Self-registration in the hotel allows you to steal millions of data in 1 minute and get into someone else's room.
Ariane Systems self-registration systems, installed in thousands of hotels around the world, provide access to guests' personal data and room keys.
Self-registration terminals allow guests to independently book rooms and check in at the hotel, manage the payment process through the POS system, print invoices and receive RFID room keys.
In March 2024, Pentagrid security researcher Martin Schobert discovered that he could easily bypass Ariane Allegro Scenario Player, which runs in kiosk mode on a self-registration terminal, and gain access to the Windows desktop with all customer data. Despite numerous attempts to inform the vendor about this, the researcher never received a proper response about the firmware version that fixes the problem.
Schobert found that the app freezes when entering a single quote on the booking search screen. When you tap the screen again, Windows prompts you to shut down the Ariane Allegro Scenario Player app. After the program is finished, the desktop is displayed. From there, you can access any files stored on your device, including booking data with personal guest information.
A chain of actions that opens access to the terminal desktop
Pentagrid notes that the ability to enter and execute program code allows you to create keys to other numbers, since the functionality of creating RFID transponders is implemented in the terminal.
Vulnerable terminals are usually used in small and medium-sized hotels, where the round-the-clock availability of check-in staff would be too costly for business. According to Ariane Systems, their self-registration solutions are used in 3,000 hotels in 25 countries, with a total of more than 500,000 rooms. The company's clients include 30 of the top 100 international hotel chains.
Schobert has repeatedly tried to report his findings to Ariane since the problem was discovered in early March 2024, but has only received short responses with claims that the problems have been fixed. It is currently unknown which version of the app fixes the problem, how many terminals are using the affected version, and which hotel chains are affected.
Ariane Systems said the issue has been fixed in a new version of Allegro Scenario Player. Hotels are advised to make sure that the latest version of the software is installed and isolate the terminals from the hotel network to prevent attacks on the hotel network or Windows domain.
In April 2024, Schobert discovered a similar problem at the self-registration terminal used by the German hotel Ibis. It was found that entering six consecutive hyphens for the booking number causes the booking details to be returned, such as the price, room number, and valid access codes.
Both cases were among a number of hotel security issues discovered recently. Previously, researchers identified vulnerabilities in Saflock lock systems affecting about 3 million hotel doors worldwide, as well as other IT problems affecting booking, payment and access systems in hotels of various chains.
We also remind you that spyware was discovered on the computers for registering guests of several hotels of the Wyndham chain in the United States, collecting and publishing screenshots with personal information of customers.
Ariane Systems self-registration systems, installed in thousands of hotels around the world, provide access to guests' personal data and room keys.
Self-registration terminals allow guests to independently book rooms and check in at the hotel, manage the payment process through the POS system, print invoices and receive RFID room keys.
In March 2024, Pentagrid security researcher Martin Schobert discovered that he could easily bypass Ariane Allegro Scenario Player, which runs in kiosk mode on a self-registration terminal, and gain access to the Windows desktop with all customer data. Despite numerous attempts to inform the vendor about this, the researcher never received a proper response about the firmware version that fixes the problem.
Schobert found that the app freezes when entering a single quote on the booking search screen. When you tap the screen again, Windows prompts you to shut down the Ariane Allegro Scenario Player app. After the program is finished, the desktop is displayed. From there, you can access any files stored on your device, including booking data with personal guest information.
A chain of actions that opens access to the terminal desktop
Pentagrid notes that the ability to enter and execute program code allows you to create keys to other numbers, since the functionality of creating RFID transponders is implemented in the terminal.
Vulnerable terminals are usually used in small and medium-sized hotels, where the round-the-clock availability of check-in staff would be too costly for business. According to Ariane Systems, their self-registration solutions are used in 3,000 hotels in 25 countries, with a total of more than 500,000 rooms. The company's clients include 30 of the top 100 international hotel chains.
Schobert has repeatedly tried to report his findings to Ariane since the problem was discovered in early March 2024, but has only received short responses with claims that the problems have been fixed. It is currently unknown which version of the app fixes the problem, how many terminals are using the affected version, and which hotel chains are affected.
Ariane Systems said the issue has been fixed in a new version of Allegro Scenario Player. Hotels are advised to make sure that the latest version of the software is installed and isolate the terminals from the hotel network to prevent attacks on the hotel network or Windows domain.
In April 2024, Schobert discovered a similar problem at the self-registration terminal used by the German hotel Ibis. It was found that entering six consecutive hyphens for the booking number causes the booking details to be returned, such as the price, room number, and valid access codes.
Both cases were among a number of hotel security issues discovered recently. Previously, researchers identified vulnerabilities in Saflock lock systems affecting about 3 million hotel doors worldwide, as well as other IT problems affecting booking, payment and access systems in hotels of various chains.
We also remind you that spyware was discovered on the computers for registering guests of several hotels of the Wyndham chain in the United States, collecting and publishing screenshots with personal information of customers.
