Latest news with #Booking
News18
7 days ago
- News18
Microsoft Says Dangerous Malware Can Steal Your Passwords And Data From Windows PCs
Last Updated: Microsoft has found over 390,000 Windows PCs infected with the dangerous Lumma malware that steal your information for ransom. Microsoft's security division has identified a dangerous malware threat that has already infected thousands of Windows PCs across the world. The company claims it has identified the victims of the Lumma stealer malware with the help of law enforcement agencies who might have been targeted by the hackers to infect their PCs. The effect of the Lumma malware has been reported from March 16 to May 16, 2025 where over 390,000 Windows computers were found to be infected by the dangerous malware. What Is Lumma Malware And How Dangerous Is It? The biggest highlight about Lumma malware is that it can be difficult to detect but very easy to distribute across machines. Microsoft says the malware threat has been around since 2022 and over the years it has evolved to become even more dangerous. It is usually sold through the underground forums, the company adds. The other important aspect about Lumma malware attack form is that hackers use popular brands like Microsoft, impersonate and send phishing emails with the aim to infect the computers. It could be a simple feedback form from hotel booking platforms like Booking or even the popular Captcha code to identify you as a human. Microsoft says the Lumma malware has become one of the favourite tools used by hackers who rely on it to steal passwords, credit card details and even crypto wallets. The company is adamant that without the help of the US govt it would have been a challenge to get hold of the infected systems by taking control of the main base where the Lumma malware has operated from. The fact that Microsoft needed assistance from the US Court, and Europol to find the culprits of the Lumma malware suggests the risks were widespread and the concerns have become high enough to target important entities across the world. With the use of AI to build hacking tools becoming a common story, these cyber crime units are aware of monitoring their daily movements. Microsoft says the best way to protect themselves from malware like Lumma is to enable multi-factor authentication for all your accounts and email IDs, and more importantly, do not open or click on attachments or links from unknown or even suspicious senders. First Published:
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Swiss price watchdog orders Booking.com to lower prices
ZURICH, May 21 (Reuters) - Switzerland's price watchdog has ordered (BKNG.O), opens new tab to lower its prices in the country, finding that the online travel agency's commission rates for hotels are "abusively high," the supervisory body said on Wednesday. In accordance with the order, must reduce its commission rates for Swiss hotels by almost a quarter, the watchdog said in a statement. vowed to appeal the decision and said its rates would not change until the appeal process was resolved. "We don't agree with a forced reduction in the cost of a product that is entirely optional," it said in a statement. The Swiss watchdog said the cost reduction must be implemented three months after the ruling becomes legally binding, and would remain in effect for three years. Earlier this week the Spanish government ordered Airbnb (ABNB.O), opens new tab to withdraw over 65,000 listings for holiday rentals which it said violated existing rules from its platform. The step was part of a broader Spanish crackdown on tourism rentals via sites such as Airbnb and which critics blame for contributing to a housing crisis in the country.
Skift
20-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
The State of Online Travel 2025
In the post-pandemic environment, volatility returns: not from viruses, but from economic headwinds and disruption of the current distribution landscape. In 2025, the winners will be those who adapt quickly to a more fragmented, tech-driven landscape. Report Overview This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of online travel in 2025, beginning with a look at the financial performance of major online travel agencies (or OTAs) Booking and Expedia from 2019 to 2024. It then explores how OTAs may fare in the face of a potential U.S. recession in 2025, compared to performance in the 2008/09 financial crisis, while accounting for today's more fragmented landscape. Finally, the report examines other emerging themes such as the growing influence of generative AI and social commerce in travel. We highlight how these trends are reshaping travel discovery and consumer behavior.
Travel Daily News
19-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Independent hotel rates aggressively targeted by secondary OTAs
Independent hotels pricing above market average face high OTA undercutting, with non-major OTAs showing the most aggressive parity violations. BARCELONA – As hotels continue to refine their revenue strategies, unveils the findings from the latest edition of its World Parity Monitor (WPM) exploring how a hotel's price position relative to its local market average affects OTAs pricing behaviour and rate parity. The April report has identified that when hotel rates are priced above the market average, the Lose rate – the percentage of times a hotel's direct price is undercut by an OTA – increases significantly, especially for independent properties. Non-major OTAs show the most aggressive pricing responses, underscoring the risks of overpricing in competitive environments. Across the sample, 75% of hotels were undercut by at least one OTA, and Expedia surpassed the 20% Lose rate threshold, reversing its recent trend of moderation. From January to April 2025, direct prices rose steadily and ended 6.3% higher than in the same period of 2024 – continuing the upward trajectory already observed last year. This trend reflects a structural pattern, where direct rates start low early in the year and peak around spring, particularly influenced by seasonal events like Easter. Notably, price positioning matters more than ever. While major OTAs like Booking and Expedia maintained stable Lose rates regardless of price segment, non-major OTAs became more aggressive as hotel prices rose. Meanwhile, the direct channel remained more competitive in lower-price segments and saw improved Meet rates at mid-range levels. 'Being just slightly above the average can trigger aggressive responses from OTAs,' says Jordi Serra, CEO at 'Hotels – especially independents – need to keep a close eye on how their positioning aligns with market trends.' 'If I'm an independent hotel and my price is above the market average, I should be concerned about OTAs becoming more aggressive and undercutting my rates. This is a very clear pattern we are seeing month after month.' The WPM also confirms that independent hotels are more vulnerable to parity loss. When priced more than 40% above the market average, the Lose rate reached 41.8% with non-major OTAs, compared to 34.0% with major OTAs. The World Parity Monitor is the first price parity center for the hospitality industry, created by It provides insights into price disparity trends across 3-, 4-, and 5-star hotels in the world's 60 most important tourist month, it analyzes over 5 million comparisons in Google Hotels, using a consistent sample of more than 6,000 hotels. This enables a reliable evaluation of price differences between hotels' direct rates and OTA prices. The WPM includes data segmented by occupancy levels, length of stay, and booking lead time. On the first month of each quarter, the analysis is extended to include country of origin, mobile usage, and family bookings. Month-to-month comparisons use consistent metrics to ensure reliability. Within the framework of the World Parity Monitor, the monthly World Parity Reports are focused digests of the latest pricing behaviors and trends. Methodology: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Beat : The hotel's direct price is lower than OTA prices. Meet : The direct and OTA prices are the same or within +/- 0.5%. Lose : The OTA price is lower than the direct rate.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rosemead woman's home posted on fake rental scam listing, bringing strangers to her front door
A homeowner in Rosemead said strangers continue showing up at her front door after a scammer listed her home for rent on a popular travel website. Alexis Cavish said her home was posted on a fake rental listing on Although the address is correct, the photos included in the post were not of her home. 'We found out our house was listed on and we are not renting out our house on so we had some people come show up at our house thinking they had rented our home,' she said. Cavish said, not only has she never rented out her home, she doesn't even have an account with However, within the last 24 hours, two sets of strangers arrived at her front door, showing her an email confirmation that they had booked her home as a short-term rental through the website. She had to turn them away. 'Luckily, so far, the people [who have shown up] have been really nice,' Cavish said. 'But they're strangers coming to the house where I have kids, I have a playground and I don't like the idea of strangers coming to my house.' Her home was listed by the scammer for nearly $400 a night. Cavish said she's stunned as to how this mix-up could even happen. 'I'm frustrated because the company is clearly not doing its due diligence,' she said. 'Why doesn't the owner have to prove some ownership before being able to charge people money to stay?' David Lazarus, KTLA's consumer specialist, said similar rental scams are becoming increasingly popular. 'It's a common enough scam that there's a name for it — short-term rental scams — and it's most common on Airbnb and Lazarus explained. Oftentimes, many rental or vacation sites have automated listing procedures, which means no humans are actually checking or verifying the postings. He said the safest thing to do when renting a place online is to ensure that all payments are made on the site itself and not through a third-party payment app. 'Stay on the site,' Lazarus said. 'In terms of any payment, any communication, don't leave the platform. So, if the listing says they want you to pay with Zelle or Venmo or some other digital payment plan, and especially if they ask for crypto, walk away.' Lazarus said another way to protect yourself is, when provided with the home's address after booking, search the address on Google Maps to make sure the home matches the rental listing photos and description. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
