When we head off to our holiday destination, we also leave behind all the protections our domestic ISP (Internet Service Provider) lay on for us. So, this month’s blog offers some tips on CyberSecurity tips for holidaymakers.
As we discussed in our last blog, unless you’re going for a digital detox, your phone, tablet or other internet enabled device comes too. And, with modern smartphones preloaded with cameras and navigation apps – not to mention our dependence on etickets, and online booking – your device will add to your travel experience.
But caution is required to ensure your lasting holiday memories are all good. So, wherever you’re going this summer, being hacked, having your digital identity compromised, your savings drained, bank accounts locked and viruses infecting your device and those of your contacts is not where you want to be.
A short blog isn’t enough space to tell our customers all they need to know about the pitfalls, precautions and potential plus points of being Cyber Secure while away, but if you follow certain principles around data hygiene you should be fine. Bon voyage!
Pass master.
Give your phone and all your apps fresh new passwords and store them in a password management system to save you having to remember them. If you lock your hotel safe with a PIN, choose a different number to that locking your phone.
Upload all the files you can’t live without from your device to the cloud. As an SME, the line between ‘work’ and ‘personal’ phone is blurred. But if you assume that your phone or device is going to be lost or hacked, the decision-making becomes easier.
Home alone….
If you’ve left your most expensive IT at home, that’s great. But immediately posting a picture of you and/or your family abroad is a big red flag as it shows that you’re away, and unless you have protected your physical space, thieves will know they have at least a week to find all the booty you thought you were protecting.
….and roam alone.
It’s worth clarifying what using your device is likely to cost in network charges before you use it. Since the UK left the EU, we no longer enjoy the roaming freedoms those still in the bloc enjoy. The list is complex, and inconsistent, so this guide explains more.
Remember that ‘data roaming’ includes things like uploading photos to Facebook, getting directions from Google Maps, streaming music, or making calls. Basically, everything you take for granted right now.
Some ISPs offer portable plans that port with you, depending on the destination. For example, this Vodafone user was calling and texting within the context of her plan while in Turkey which, as it lies outside the EU, can be expensive. Alternatively, get a Turkish SIM.
Charge at will
Don’t charge anything using anything other than your own chargers, plugged directly into the wall or your adapter. Just assume that thieves have installed malware onto hotel and other public docking stations (ie transport hubs) and you won’t be caught out.
We can help!
Sprint can cover you before any problems occur with our Cyber Security and Cyber Essentials Accreditation, while our Back up and Disaster Recovery Solutions, can get you back online.
Ask us about how Sophos, our CyberSec partner, protects more than half a million businesses and 100 million users globally from all the hazards you find here or abroad.
