Holidays and BYOE

This was an article I wanted to write last year while on vacation, but unfortunately got delayed and I forgot about it! (heh!). And here I am thinking I wrapped up this year!

What's BYOE? In my dictionary, its Bring Your Own Entertainment.

What the heck is that?

Well today, we use a myriad of OTT (over the top) entertainment solutions instead of stuck-at-home cable/satellite solutions.

Entertainment via the app. You know? Netflix, Hulu, Spotify etc? Or even your cable/satellite provider now offering app based streaming solution (in Malaysia - AstroOnTheGo). We all know how BORING the hotel entertainment options are (I usually watch news when I am abroad, just to catch up on latest MSM propaganda as I seldom watch news on the tally nowadays).

But Suresh, what has that got to do with security?

You come back from your holidays just to find your watch list is messed up, Playlist deleted and your settings tampered, and your passwords may even be changed!

Last year, during my travels, 3/5 local and foreign travels which resulted in hotel stays see me using the hotel TV with someone elses Netflix account logged on. And it's not just Netflix. Spotify, and a myriad of applications, some installed by the previous tenant of the room now made available to me, someone who shouldn't have access to someone elses account. (I did log the person out and used mine on my own IPad, don't believe in using my accounts on foreign devices. Alternatively i carry my tiny Android box which has my accounts installed and authorised, but I soon realise that some hotels don't allow the luxury of you plugging in your device into the HDMI port which is vacant). One hotel even encapsulated the TV in an acrylic box... very kiasu/kiasi.

If you do decide to do the unthinkable and sign in using the hotel's tv, you should make it as part of "before leaving the room" check to ensure that you've logged out all of your accounts that you used. If you're like me and use an Android Box, then make sure you bring back your box. Just like how you'd check the room one last time before leaving.

You do that, don't you?

Some might argue and say - "I'm paying the hotel, they should do all the cleanup just like how they clean the sheets!" Maybe. But they're not responsible for your accounts. You are.

So take this as a PSA. If need be forward this article to your friends so that they'd be aware during this holiday seasons.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This article was originally posted at https://drsuresh.net/articles/holsec