How to Stay Cyber Safe When You Travel
Before You Leave
Taking your crucial documents on the road creates opportunities for cybercrime. Airports, hotels and coffee shops are prime hunting grounds for attackers looking for an easy target.
- Update everything: Run system and app updates on your laptop, tablet and phone. Unpatched software is the easiest way for hackers to get in.
- Travel light: Bring only the devices you need. Less gear, less risk.
- Back up your files: If something gets lost or stolen, you won’t lose critical data.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication: Secure email, banking and work apps with a fingerprint or at least a back-up phone number.
On the Road
Whether you’re traveling within the U.S., Canada or abroad, you should be concerned with the potential for malicious access to your devices.
- Assume public Wi-Fi is unsafe: Don’t log in to sensitive accounts without a VPN. Use reputable third-party VPN services like Mozilla VPN or Proton VPN.
- Skip public charging ports: “Juice jacking” attacks are real. Use your own charger to plug into a wall outlet.
- Lock your devices: Use strong passcodes or biometrics, plus enable the remote wipe option.
iOS | Android - Stay aware: People looking over your shoulder in crowded spaces can grab more data than you think.
At Your Destination
Guard against analog crime as well as digital — remain vigilant about your personal space and your belongings in hotels, restaurants and convention centers.
- Hotel Wi-Fi isn’t safe either: Treat it like any other public Wi-Fi and use a VPN while on it.
- Keep quiet online: Don’t post your real-time location. You’re advertising to criminals.
- Separate work and personal use: Keep company data on company-managed devices. Don’t mix them.
- Don’t add anything new: It’s not a good time to download any new software onto your devices.
- Delete the unfamiliar: If you receive unusual texts, emails or links when traveling outside the country, scrap them immediately.
When You Get Back
A solid practice for your post-trip routine is to assume your devices were exposed and do a full reset.
- Update critical passwords: Especially if you used questionable networks.
- Check your accounts: Look for logins or transactions you don’t recognize.
- Run a malware scan: Add any delayed patches that were rolled out while you were away.
- Remove temporary access: Delete any guest networks or shared files.
- Log out of your streaming service accounts: If you watched something on a hotel television or airplane seatback screen, make sure you’ve ended the session.
Cybercriminals look for the easiest targets. Don’t be one. Take a few precautions and you can focus on your trip, not cleaning up after an incident.
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