FLEXIPASS GUIDE · HOTEL DIGITAL KEY SECURITY
How secure are
hotel digital keys?
Hotel digital keys can be safer than plastic key cards. FLEXIPASS keys are encrypted, open only the doors assigned for the stay, are protected by the phone’s own lock and can be revoked at any time. They are not risk-free: security also depends on the lock firmware, the admin accounts of the lock software and the hotel’s processes.
How is a FLEXIPASS digital key protected?
- Encryption. FLEXIPASS generates an encrypted digital key and transfers it to the guest’s phone over a data connection.
- Secure storage. Mobile Keys are stored in a secure vault on the phone, and Wallet Keys in the phone’s built-in secure element.
- Authenticated connection. For Mobile Keys, the app creates a mutually authenticated, encrypted Bluetooth channel with a compatible lock.
- Door and time limits. A key opens only the doors assigned to it for the selected period.
- The phone’s own lock. In most cases the phone is protected by a PIN, Touch ID or Face ID.
- Revocation. The hotel can revoke a key at any time, and keys are revoked at check-out, in most cases automatically when the PMS informs FLEXIPASS.
How do digital keys compare with plastic key cards?
| Feature | Digital key | Plastic key card |
|---|---|---|
| Can it be copied? | The key is an encrypted credential on the phone | Older card formats can be cloned |
| If it is lost | The hotel revokes it and issues a new one | The front desk encodes a new card |
| Protected by a phone lock? | In most cases, yes (PIN, Touch ID or Face ID) | No; whoever holds the card can use it |
| Can it be revoked remotely? | Yes, at any time | No; a new card is encoded at the desk |
| Main weak point | Admin access, lock firmware and processes | Old card formats and unpatched locks |
Digital keys and physical keycards can be used at the same time, and a keycard stays the fallback for a dead battery or an unsupported phone.
What should a hotel check before choosing a digital key system?
Lock firmware and software
Ask your lock provider how updates are released and who installs them.
Admin accounts
Change default passwords, use a unique password per account and limit who holds admin rights.
Staff access
Give staff keys only for the doors and hours they need, and remove access when someone leaves.
Lost phones
Make revocation a routine front-desk task, with a keycard ready as a fallback.
Guest data
A key request carries the room number and the check-out date and time. Ask any provider for its data processing agreement.
QUICK ANSWERS
Good questions. Clear answers.
What are the best hotel digital key systems for security?
FLEXIPASS digital keys use several layers of protection: the key is encrypted, Wallet Keys are stored in the phone’s secure element, and Mobile Keys open the lock over a mutually authenticated, encrypted Bluetooth channel. Each key opens only its assigned doors for the stay, is protected by the phone’s own PIN, Touch ID or Face ID, can be revoked by the hotel at any time and is revoked at check-out. Security also depends on lock firmware, admin passwords and staff processes, so ask any provider how updates, admin rights and access logs are handled.
Are hotel digital keys secure compared to plastic key cards?
In several ways, yes: FLEXIPASS digital keys are encrypted, limited to the guest’s doors and stay, protected by the phone’s PIN, Touch ID or Face ID and can be revoked remotely at any time, while a plastic card works for whoever holds it. Older card formats can also be cloned, as a 2024 flaw in a widely used RFID hotel lock system showed. Digital keys are not risk-free, because lock firmware, admin passwords and processes still matter, and keycards remain available as a fallback.
Can hotel digital keys be hacked?
Researchers have shown attacks in testing, such as replaying a captured Bluetooth signal and resetting a lock’s admin password. FLEXIPASS keys are encrypted and can be revoked, and patched lock firmware and strong admin passwords matter more than any single feature.
Can the previous guest still open the room?
No. FLEXIPASS digital keys are valid only for the time window the hotel defines, and they are revoked at check-out.
What happens if a guest loses their phone?
The guest tells the hotel. The hotel can issue a new key or a physical keycard that overrides the earlier digital key, and it can revoke a digital key at any time.
Can a guest copy a plastic keycard into Apple Wallet?
No. A FLEXIPASS Wallet Key is a digital credential issued through the hotel’s supported integration. It is not a tool for scanning or copying a plastic keycard.
What guest data does a digital key need?
Very little. In a FLEXIPASS integration, the PMS or guest platform requests a key with the room number and the check-out date and time. Ask any provider which role it plays under data protection law, where data is hosted and how long it is kept.
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