Data protection should not take a back seat while traveling. Following these tips can help mitigate the risk of a cybercrime interrupting a silent night this holiday season!
Data Protection While Traveling
For many individuals, the holidays include hopping in a plane, train, or automobile to visit friends and family. Of course, laptops, cellphones, and tablets go along for the ride, tossed in backpacks or purses. These devices are goldmines of data, and bad actors yearn to get their hands on a few in the hectic holiday season.
Savvy travelers should take steps to defend their endpoints. Even simple steps can make a big difference in strengthening an individual’s defensive posture.
Preparing for Travel
Before hitting the road, take some time to increase each device’s data protection capabilities.
Be careful when making arrangements.
When booking housing, flights, or concert tickets, use secure WiFi or data to avoid data theft.
Make sure to purchase from a valid source.
Travel purchases can require a lot of sensitive information, so verify that the site is not a phishing attempt by cybercriminals creating a fake site.
Be wary of listings that are too good to be true, or unsolicited email links.
Do not wire money for hotel rooms or rental properties without verifying it is legitimate. Do not purchase items through links in emails; instead search for a specific reputable company and book that way.
Purchase from organizations that respect data protection.
Check how the company stores and destroys customer information. All transactions and customer data should be encrypted both at rest and in transit.
Practice proper password hygiene.
Cybercriminals can try one breached password on a plethora of other sites in an attempt to compromise more. Use separate passwords for mileage accounts or ticket shopping sites, no matter how tempting it is to repeat passwords.
Shop safely online.
When buying gifts, it can be nice to order online and ship them to avoid packing. Just because the purchase does not include sensitive travel documentation does not mean that it is not a choice target for bad actors. The same purchasing rules apply as when shopping for airplane seats: use encrypted WiFi, and only purchase from verified sites, and only buy from companies that protect customer data.
The Day Before Traveling
In the midst of last-minute shopping and printing tickets, don’t forget to bundle up mobile endpoints before hitting the road.
Keep packed devices to a minimum.
While it may seem self-explanatory, fewer devices traveling means fewer potential targets. Don’t travel with anything that is not essential.
Clear mobile devices.
Backup files to a hard drive. That way, if a device is stolen, precious family photos and bank information is not lost when a Remote Wipe is executed. This means there is less that can be compromised or lost while traveling.
Memorize essential passwords.
Log out of all accounts on each device, and memorize the passwords needed. That is one more wall between a criminal and sensitive data.
Track devices with DriveStrike.
When traveling through unfamiliar places, it is important to be able to track devices. Installing DriveStrike on devices allows owners to Locate all devices from a convenient online Dashboard. An entire family’s devices can be secured while traveling anywhere on the globe. DriveStrike can also Remote Wipe a device if it is stolen. DriveStrike works on all major operating systems and can be implemented on any number of devices, suitable for individuals, small businesses, and multinational corporations.
While Traveling
The importance of data protection does not stop once the plane has landed!
Take extreme care when remote working.
Remote work can be attractive when traveling for the holidays, or when staying in and working from home to avoid holiday traffic. Maintain a secure home office. Keep devices away from unauthorized access …even if that unauthorized person is Aunt Edna and that access is her using a work laptop with all the financials to find a new cookie recipe.
Businesses can make holiday travel easier by following strong data tips. Last minute business meetings and projects being worked on remotely during travel are much safer when proper training and best practices are followed. Read more about business protection during the holidays.
Keep eyes on phones (and tablets and laptops).
Even when slightly inconvenient, never leave devices unsecured or out of sight. Don’t leave them on tables in cafes or, sitting in the open in a hotel room, etc.
Ready, Set, Celebrate!
Endpoints are always busy — and during the holidays, with remote work and increased travel and commerce, the risk of unauthorized access increases. This makes robust data protection all the more important. Have peace of mind knowing you can Locate, Lock, or Wipe a compromised device at a moment’s notice with DriveStrike.