Some time ago, a raid on an Al Qaeda camp in Syria recovered plans to attack a famous London hotel. The plan was both novel and chilling; its aim was to cause mass casualties by fire. The first step was to access the hotel’s fire pumps and put them out of action whilst other attack team members chained guest room, floor, and final fire exits shut; the remaining team was to set fires in various locations.

Thankfully, the plan was never executed, but it demonstrates that the thinking was there and that this type of threat should not be discounted. Hotel critical systems have been identified as vulnerable points by terrorists, and they could also be exploited by disgruntled employees.

Critical Systems

The number of critical systems in a hotel will depend on the type of hotel and its location. Systems may include:

• Fire pumps

• Boilers

• Water processors

• Potable water storage

• Fuel storage – gas and fuel oil

• Air handling units

• Emergency generators

• Electrical distribution systems

• Data systems

Threats to Critical Systems

There are two main threats to critical systems: physical damage to system mechanisms and contamination. Contamination is more insidious in that it may not be readily obvious that the system has been interfered with. Fuel, air handling, and water systems are particularly vulnerable to contamination that damages the system, directly harms humans through poisoning, and so on.

Securing Critical Systems

Physical Security

Securing critical systems is part of hotel business continuity, and critical system security needs to be planned and aligned with hotel business continuity plans.

The main aim of physical security of critical systems is to prevent unauthorized access to areas housing systems by means of security stand locks, robust doors, and protected windows. Additional protection may include Intruder Detection Systems and CCTV. As with other security approaches, defense in depth applies, so fire pump room doors should be secured, and the valve controls chained and locked to prevent unauthorized valve operation. All keys/key cards giving access to critical systems should be treated as security keys with appropriate storage and management.

When planning system security, it’s important to consider the whole system. It’s not uncommon for systems to be well protected, but elements of the system, on which the system relies, sit outside of the security perimeter. For instance, I’ve seen potable water well protected, but the inlet valve remains unprotected. This is also a common weakness with fuel storage.

Procedural Security