Heading out? Have you considered how you can attend to IT security on travels and vacations?
Working on Vacation
Nowadays, we often bring our laptop and other work devices on travels and vacation trips. After all, it is quite convenient to be able to get a little work done from the hotel room or cabin. This part of our modern lifestyle does, however, increase the risk for loss or theft of important data.
Five Ways to Reduce the Risk
Before and during your travel:
- Do not reveal detailed holiday information in the Out Of Office Assistant. Remember that it also replies to spam messages, thereby confirming your email address.
- Password-protect and encrypt your devices. Do not leave them unlocked. Pressing the Windows key + L on your keyboard locks your computer.
- Do not leave your computer unattended and visible in your car or hotel room, and avoid flashing your mobile phone or tablet in public.
- Be careful when using hotel networks or other public wireless networks. Limit such usage to reading online newspapers and the like.
- Using your mobile 3G and 4G connections is much more secure than public WiFi. However, check roaming charges and enable data limits and alerts before travelling abroad.
What are you taking with you, and coming back with?
Traveling with electronic gear containing sensitive data carries a greater security risk today than ever before. Ask yourselve these 4 questions:
- What data do I really need to carry with me?
- What are the consequences of carrying this data and having them disclosed or copied - for me, my family, friends, and my employer?
- What alternatives do I have to access the data when I travel, and will these alternatives be available (or legal) from my international destination?
- What measures should I take upon my return from an international destination to ensure that my electronic devices pose no risk to my employer?
Who's that Looking Over Your Shoulder?
In the digital age it is sometimes easy to forget our physical surroundings.
Be aware of eavesdroppers when you work on your laptop or talk on the phone in trains, restaurants and other public places.
You never know whether a given piece of information can be interesting to others, or how you are perceived by those in your close vicinity.
One more tip: When staying at hotels, use the safe and the "Do not disturb" sign.