In today’s world, securing your data is of prime concern, especially with the growing threat of cybercrime. In the course of travel, you become even more vulnerable to the danger of theft, hackers, identity thieves or random prying eyes.
Clearly, protecting your data while travelling is very important. Lucky for you, there has never been a more convenient time to do so as there are tons of apps and tips available to help you secure your most important information. If you are interested in these tips for keeping your personal and private data safe while on a journey in a limo from Limo Find, read on.
- PROTECT YOUR PHONE AND APPS WITH PASSWORDS
If you misplace your phone or another electronic device while on a trip, you will have to ensure that whoever picks it up cannot gain access to the device, and one way to do so is with the use of passwords. Even if you don’t lose your phone, you may have a reason to step away from it, leaving it vulnerable to persons who might want to snoop; with a password, you are protected from this.
You can also set a passcode or turn on the fingerprint or Touch ID settings on your device to protect it from second party use. Whichever means you choose to go about this, the most important thing is that you set up some form of “native” protection for your devices.
- AVOID TRAVELING WITH SENSITIVE DATA
If there’s a chance to go on a trip without taking your sensitive information along, you should do so. This can be as simple as leaving storage devices back at home if they won’t be of use, disabling sync on your cloud accounts or deleting files stored in your devices before heading out. You can still gain access to cloud copies of whatever files you didn’t sync or removed from your device while on your trip, but not having them saved on your device makes them less vulnerable to theft and hackers.
- AVOID PUBLIC COMPUTERS
If you happen to have left your devices at home, you may be tempted to access your emails, social media accounts or cloud files using public computers. This is a risky thing to do as it leaves you vulnerable to cyber-attack since you don’t know whether any malware or viruses are installed on the computer you are working with.
You can perform less risky activities over public computers, like using them to search for places to eat or for local attractions. However, you should not log into your email, bank, social media, or other sensitive accounts from public computers as you never know what dangers you expose yourself to while using them.
- BE CAREFUL WHEN USING PUBLIC WI-FI
Just like public computers, public Wi-Fi connections pose a huge risk to travelers, especially since most people use free networks to either check messages or update their social media statuses. Public Wi-Fi hotspots pose a huge risk because they are often unencrypted, which means even an amateur hacker could hack your device through the network.
However, if you absolutely must use a public hotspot, avoid sending sensitive data such as passwords or private emails, and never access your financial details while on a public Wi-Fi network.
- USE A TRUSTED VPN
If you must use a public Wi-Fi, then you must be careful as there’s no way to know who else is connected to these Wi-Fi networks. You can protect your data from hackers by using a trusted third-party VPN. A VPN provides an extra layer of security to your device when browsing so that even when hackers launch cyber-attacks over public Wi-Fi, they can’t infiltrate your device.
- MONITOR YOUR SENSITIVE ACCOUNTS
Traveling puts your data at risk; therefore, it is wise to monitor relevant accounts for fraudulent activities so you can resolve it once you notice it. This means you should keep an eye on your credit card accounts and other sensitive financial information.
When monitoring these accounts, avoid doing so over public networks; you should be fine doing so over a cellular network. Also, you can speak with your personal banker or financial institution before traveling to let them know how long you will be away and possibly get them to set up fraud alerts. You can also entrust this responsibility to a friend or family member (obviously, you have to trust the person), so they keep an eye on these accounts from the safety of your home’s network.
- CHANGE RELEVANT PASSWORDS
As a form of extra protection, you should change any sensitive passwords as soon as you return from your journey. This way, anyone who might have had grabbed your passwords while on your trip would no longer have access to your accounts. If you happen to be on the road for long, you should perhaps consider changing your passwords several times while away.
Traveling should always be an experience to be enjoyed, and one way to do this is by protecting yourself and your data. The above tips can help you stay safe.
