Toothbrush? Check. Towel? Check. Computer, smartphone, tablet? Check. If you are one of those travelers who can’t hit the road without having all the tech gadgets in their suitcase, then you should also be aware of the risks that lurk in the “shadows” of public internet connections, online banking and shopping on the road.
But don’t worry, there are ways to protect yourself from sticky hands of cybercriminals. ESET experts have put together a short guide to help you travel safely and keep all your data and devices protected:
- Make sure that your laptop and mobile devices run a fully updated operating system, software and a reputable security solution before you go on the road.
- Backup your data before you leave your home and store the backup in a safe place. Think about moving sensitive data from your laptop hard drive to an encrypted external storage while you are on vacation.
- Never leave your devices unattended in public places. With the use of an anti-theft solution you can track your missing laptop or smartphone, in the case it gets stolen, and wipe its contents remotely, if necessary.
- Make sure that you have password protection and inactivity timeout engaged on all devices including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Consider shortening the time span to minimum. Frequent logging in might be annoying, but it’s better than having your sensitive information stolen by the intruders.
- If possible, only use reputable internet services. Ask at your hotel or the place where you are accommodated for the name of their Wi-Fi. Then use the exact same name. Beware of the scams which are trying to look similar by attaching “free wifi”, or something alike, to the original name.
- If the hotel internet asks you to update software in order to connect, immediately disconnect and tell it to the person at the front desk or the owner of the place.
- Do not use Wi-Fi connections that are not encrypted with WPA2. Anything with lower standards is simply not safe enough and can be hacked relatively easy. Disconnect from the Wi-Fi if you’re not using the connection.
- If you have to use public Wi-Fi to connect to your company network, always use a virtual private network.
- If it’s not necessary, avoid online banking and shopping when you’re using public Wi-Fi. Otherwise, it is safer to use your data plan and create your own hotspot.
- If you are not using antivirus solution and suspect your laptop has been infected, you can use free ESET Online Scanner which doesn’t require installation and can be used to detect and remove malware on-the-go.
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