Travelling from A to B can be stressful at the best of times when you’ve got important documents to think about, luggage to carry along with you all while trying to stay on schedule. That’s tricky enough if you’re on holiday or going to a social engagement, but the scenario can be even more problematical for business travellers.
A lot of that is down to your data. Keeping your data secure on the move is an essential part of modern working life. And, with so many of us now working outside of the office, either remotely or in a hybrid environment, taking steps to keep everything locked down can be easier said than done.
Following basic principles
Pretty much everyone must use technology on the move and, if you’re travelling for work, a big part of this has to centre around cybersecurity. While staying safe online and keeping your data secure should be a given, not all of us are good at it. More importantly, keeping your data secure on the move isn’t particularly difficult, it does require a degree of diligence along with ensuring you’ve got the best cybersecurity tools at your disposal.
One of the first things to keep in mind when you’re travelling, and you want to protect your data as best as you possibly can, is to understand the risks that are involved. Travelling can be a minefield at the best of times and knowing the cybersecurity issues that we all face before you set off is paramount. An obvious example is that of public Wi-Fi, which is ubiquitous and often free. However, it’s also one of the easiest ways to get hacked.
Airports, hotels and countless other locations offer free Wi-Fi and this can be tempting to use when you’re in a rush, tired, stressed or all of the above, but it can catch you out if you’re not careful. What’s more, travelling for business needs also means there’s a responsibility for keeping employer data safe and secure. Using unsecured wireless networks irresponsibly is therefore definitely not to be encouraged due to the potential for identity theft or data breaches.
Taking personal responsibility
No matter if you own a company or you’re an employee, there’s actually a pretty simple list of things to check in order to keep your data as secure as possible while you’re on the move. A lot of the building blocks of staying secure can be put in place before any travel commences, which should include ensuring that any software used is up to date, installed and operating as expected.
Another vital part of the process is to ensure that any existing data is backed up, prior to setting foot out of the door no matter if you work in an office or at home in a hybrid situation. Being safe in the knowledge that everything is secured prior to making any moves can not only offer piece of mind, but it’ll also form a major part of the restoration procedure if the worst happens, and you’re hacked while on your travels.
Password manager potential
There are lots of tools at your disposal thanks to a whole cybersecurity industry that has flourished in the wake of ever expanding cybersecurity threats. While the obvious consideration is to ensure that any and all of your passwords are as complex and unique as possible, it’s also a good idea to invest in a password manager. This software can make light work of keeping on top of multiple log-ins, but it can also do this in a very secure fashion too.
The same goes for making use of multi-factor authentication or MFA, which means that you’ll be able to secure any or all of your devices using a combination of the password manager and a two-step log-in process. Using software in this way can also make the log-in process slightly less tedious, which is often the main reason people tend to overlook doing it in the first place. Armed with the right setup, it’s easy to stay more secure but not have to spend lots of time getting into, and back out of, your secure data areas.
If you’re heavily reliant on your mobile for work, and most of us are, then another prudent move is to ensure that you’ve got any ‘find my phone’ features enabled to help should your handset get stolen or lost.
Procedures during travel
With all of the preflight boxes ticked, the next step is to ensure that you take similarly steps to keep your data secure when travelling. As mentioned earlier, using public Wi-Fi isn’t ideal and, if there’s no option, be sure to take some simple steps for covering your tracks both before and after using a shared computer, such as logging out properly and removing any browsing, cookie and cache data.
The best way to sidestepped this issue is to ensure that you’re travelling with a mobile setup that lets you use your own hotspot. This ditches the need for Wi-Fi, although can obviously depend on your location and the availability of mobile networks. Another option is to pick up a wireless dongle at trickier geographical locations, although these need to be securely setup to ensure they’re as secure as possible. Keep an eye on things like location service options on mobile devices though as not everyone wants to tell others where they might be at any given time.
Keeping things sensible
Trying to keep tabs on why and when your tech is connected on the go is a vital consideration. Sometimes devices can automatically connect to wireless networks, so it’s a good idea to check those settings. Simply switch of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if you’re not sure, only enabling them when necessary. Be sensible about how you use social media tools too and get kitted out with a virtual private network, so you can connect your device or laptop securely.
Another obvious common sense consideration is to be careful about where you’re opening up your laptop. Plenty of travel locations, such as airports, hotel lobbies, cafes and restaurants offer lots of options for people to glance over your should see spot things like web addresses, phone numbers and other personal details. Similarly, keep tabs on emails and text messages to ensure they’re genuine and not phishing attempts.
Plenty of people get emails from their airline or hotel informing them, perhaps, of a delay or booking irregularity. Spend a minute or two picking through things like the email address or number details to cross-check these are genuine. It’s easy to get caught out, even more so if you’re on the go, so taking your time and not responding too speedily might end up being time that’s very well spent.
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