Whether taking a short trip in the fall, a beach vacation in the summer or going out of town to a conference, it is important to exercise good cyber habits in order to keep yourself from becoming a victim of crime. Many cyber criminals specifically target travelers. Remember to keep security in mind while traveling.
A Few Tips
- Use discretion when posting personal information on social media. This information is a treasure-trove to social engineers. Do not post information about travel plans or details; save the pictures and updates until after you return home.
- Leave it behind – don't even take your laptop or company-use smartphone if possible. Leave as much data off your device as you can.
- Don't use public Wi-Fi spots. Lots of hackers use public spots to hack into devices. Use your cell service instead of Wi-Fi if possible. It is generally safer than Wi-Fi connections
- Beware of evil twins. Criminals will sometimes stand up Wi-Fi hotspots that look like legitimate hotel or convention Wi-Fi spots. Verify the SSID before connecting!
- Don't use hotel or other public computers. Results of several tests show that these computers frequently have malware on them.
- Don't leave devices in the hotel. Take them with you or lock them in a hotel safe.
- Turn your Bluetooth device off when not in use. Some devices allow for automatic connection which allows other Bluetooth devices to connect to your device without you knowing it.
- Only charge your devices directly with a connection to an outlet. Be sure to pack those adapters.
- Turn off auto location and check-in applications.
- Notify your credit card companies of your travel dates and locations so they can watch for unauthorized activity and alert you of any usage outside of your travel areas.
- Set email away messages to only respond to known contacts in your address book.
- Disable geo-locational features, such as automatic status updates and friend finder functionalities.