How To Be Cybersecure While Traveling

With the world finally starting to open up again, travel is back on the cards. Modern technology has made travel both easier and more fun. That said, technology also brings its own risks, especially when you’re on holiday. The good news is, you can manage them. Here are five tips to help.

Make sure all your batteries work

If you’re going through any sort of security check (e.g. at an airport), you’ll almost certainly be expected to show your devices working. This means that their batteries need to be able to hold a charge for a reasonable period. If they’re wearing out, get them changed.

Pro tip – Consider booting up your laptop when it’s plugged in, then keeping it on standby. This will probably be lighter on the battery than booting it up when it’s not plugged in.

Sort out your charging situation

Ideally, you should never charge your devices from any public charging outlet. This includes “unofficial” ones like USB ports in devices owned by third parties e.g. TVs in hotels. In the real world, however, that’s often a lot easier said than done. That being so, it’s advisable to invest in some USB data blockers.

As their name suggests, USB data blockers stop data transfer between your phone and the charging socket. They’re basically sanitary gloves for your phone (but they can be reused). USB data blockers are both very small and very affordable. This means that it should be easy to have at least one for each of your devices. If possible, take along a few spares.  

Invest in suitable covers for your gadgets

Remember that physical devices themselves can be attractive to thieves. Even if you can wipe the data remotely, the parts may still have value. Padded envelopes can make great travel covers for electronics. If you’re heading to the beach, it’s also worth investing in extra covers to protect your tech against water and sand.  

Organize your apps

Hopefully, you already have general security software on your gadgets. If you don’t then this definitely needs to be in place before you travel. Even if you do, you might want to upgrade. You really want to be able to wipe your devices remotely. Likewise, you need to make sure you have a VPN on your various devices. This includes tablets and phones.

While you’re at it, think about whether or not you need, or want, to set up auto-responders while you are away. If you do, think carefully about what they say. Remember, business contacts like your SEO agency don’t really need to know the details of your life or even just your vacation. They just need to know when you’re available and when you’re not.

Think about your storage

Streaming everything may be fine when you’re at home. When you’re traveling, however, you may not be able to get online all the time. Even if you can, it may be expensive. Memory cards (and USB drives), on the other hand, are very affordable. They can store a whole lot of entertainment (and information) you (and your kids) can access at any time in complete safety.

Pro tip – If you’re into photography, consider investing in WiFi-enabled memory cards. That way you can keep uploading your photos to the cloud and wiping them from the card. This keeps your images safe if anything happens to your camera.