Those lazy, hazy summer days are now upon us. July is here – a time when many of us take time-off from work to travel and enjoy the summer heat. We look forward to some rest and relaxation but vacation time does not mean taking a break from protecting yourself from cybercrime.
Hackers are never on vacation. If you let your guard down, this is the perfect time for them to take advantage of you. Keep note of these tips in order to have a safe and happy holiday.
When in Doubt, Leave it Out
With the influx of digital devices, chances are you are traveling with a smartphone, tablet or laptop. When you go on vacation, you pack only what you need. Right? This also applies to your digital devices. If you are not going to use it, leave it at home.
Wi-Fi Access
It is tempting to use free Wi-Fi in a café or at the airport. Especially when you have some time to kill. Unfortunately, using these networks exposes you to security threats.
These networks are open to anyone. Hackers can create a similar network near a legitimate one. You may not notice that one additional letter to the name of that trusted network. If you accidently connect your device to their network, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to an attack.
Exercise caution and use an HTTPS connection or a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your data.
Bluetooth Access
Bluetooth technology allows you to pair your smartphone with your car. Once the pairing is confirmed, data can flow freely between the devices. If you pair your smartphone with your rental car, you are at risk of having your information stored. You will need to check that your information is deleted before returning the car. Better yet, don’t pair your smartphone with the rental.
Ideally, just disable the Bluetooth while you are traveling. You don’t need to worry about unwanted connection attempts.
Smartphone Security
If you have the misfortune of losing your smartphone, there are features that may come with your phone that allows you to track your device. Most phones have the ability to remotely wipe the data from your phone or reset it back to the factory settings. There is also the feature if the password is incorrectly entered 10 times all the data is erased.
Only charge your phone via your personal computer or directly to a wall socket. If you connect to an unknown device, you could be exposing your smartphone to malicious software.
Shared Computers
You see shared computers in places like cafés and hotels. These computers are riddled with malware. They could have a keylogger on them capturing all your keystrokes. Be skeptical. You don’t know if the shared computer is secure. Have the mindset that whatever you are typing on that computer can be seen by a third-party.
General Advice for Smartphones, Tablets and Laptops
These tips can be applied to all your digital devices.
- Backup your data.
- Use long and strong passwords on everything.
- Use two-step verification whenever possible.
- Set your devices to time out when they are not in use.
- Disable the Wi-Fi.
- Keep devices concealed. A smartphone can be snatched right out of your hand with the person disappearing into the crowd.
Stay Secure
Most important of all, vacation time is supposed to be a fun and happy time. Keep your data safe and stay secure.
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