Cybersecurity
Most of Us Wouldn't Travel Without Our Smartphone - Learn These Travel Tips
Our technology inevitably comes with us when we travel. Most of us will not even walk to the corner without our smartphones. When something goes wrong with your devices on a trip, it can ruin your day.
Our technology inevitably comes with us when we travel. Most of us will not even walk to the corner without our smartphones. When something goes wrong with your devices on a trip, it can ruin your day. Travel smarter and more securely by running through a few checks before you leave.
1. Check Your Apps. Have you ever sat at an airport gate and realized your flight had moved to a different one, with everyone else seemingly already knowing? They most likely had the airline's app and received a push notification. Before leaving for a trip, download or update any apps you may need while you are at home on a trusted Wi-Fi connection. Useful apps to have ready include those for your airline, train, hotel, theme park, campground, weather, and local tourism.
2. Check Your Cords and Adapters. People leave chargers and adapters behind in airports, restaurants, and train stations every day. Bring a backup charger for your laptop, tablet, and phone. Otherwise, you may end up paying a premium in a gift shop or losing access to your device entirely.
3. Check Your Power. A small portable charging battery is a smart travel investment. These compact blocks hold a charge and can power up a phone in a pinch. They also help you avoid juice-jacking, a threat involving fake or compromised public USB charging ports that attackers use to steal data when you plug in.
4. Check Your Mobile Plan. If you are traveling internationally, confirm whether your mobile plan supports international calling and data. Carriers can add international capabilities to your plan, but costs can be high for long calls or heavy data use. A VoIP app that works over Wi-Fi or mobile internet is a good alternative for staying in touch with your office, friends, or family.
5. Check or Add a VPN. Free Wi-Fi is convenient on the road but can be dangerous. You have no way of knowing who else is on that network. A hacker monitoring the same connection can intercept your data if you are not protected. Use your mobile carrier connection when possible, or use a virtual private network (VPN) app to keep your data encrypted even on public Wi-Fi.
6. Check Your Backup. Mishaps happen when traveling. Devices get left behind, luggage gets lost, and theft in crowded areas is real. Ten percent of all laptop thefts occur in airports. Back up your devices to the cloud or local storage before you leave. This ensures you do not lose valuable information if something happens to your device, and it means you can issue a remote wipe command without hesitation if necessary.
7. Check Your Device Security. When traveling, your mind is occupied by other things. You may not stop to think about an antivirus scan or a suspicious link the way you would at your desk. Protect your devices before you leave by enabling antivirus and anti-malware protection, DNS filtering, a screen lock with passcode, disabled sharing features, a VPN application, and the Find My Device feature.
8. Check Your Double-Checks. Use the buddy system as a backup. When traveling with family or colleagues, have each person confirm they have all their devices before leaving a gate or hotel room. If traveling alone, ask a friend or family member to check in by text. Those small reminders can prevent digital travel nightmares.
Improve the Security of Your Devices Now.
Do not leave your devices unprotected before your next trip. The team at Cyber One Solutions can help you put the right security measures in place. Contact us today for device security solutions that reduce your risk.