Is your data safe while travelling for work? According to Flight Centre Travel Group’s Chief Privacy Officer, Meida Wong, business travellers are at risk and should be aware of how to safeguard their data while travelling.
“In today’s digital age, the volume of personal information we share for various activities has exponentially increased. You may be online shopping, ordering food delivery, downloading mobile applications, playing an online game, or simply browsing the web and your personal data is at play. In a world where such information commands high value, it’s vital to secure it, particularly when travelling,” said Wong.
Here are some tips from Flight Centre Travel Group.
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Secure Your Devices and Accounts
Before your journey: Ensure all your devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets, are adequately secured. Set up complex passwords, PIN codes, or even better, biometric authentication methods to prevent unauthorized access.
Activate encryption: Turn on encryption features such as device encryption and encrypted messaging apps to protect your data from prying eyes.
Unique passwords: Use a unique password for different accounts. This way, if one is compromised, the rest are less likely to be affected, limiting the impact of a data breach.
Biometric authentication: Biometric methods can also prevent password or PIN theft from shoulder surfing.
Password hygiene: Treat your password like your toothbrush, keep it private and change it often.
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Use Secure Networks
Avoid public Wi-Fi: Especially in airports, cafes, and hotels, avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi when conducting sensitive activities, like checking account balances, making transfers, or entering financial information.
Secure networks: Use a secure and trusted network, such as a personal mobile data connection or a virtual private network (VPN).
HTTPS encryption: Ensure the websites you use for banking or payment purposes use HTTPS encryption, indicated by a padlock icon and https:// in the URL.
Session security: Always log out of your sessions when not in use to prevent session hijacking and only provide passwords and PINs at trusted locations—be aware of social engineering.
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Use Caution When Sharing On Social Media
Exercise discretion: Limit the personal details you disclose when sharing photos and updates on social media during your travels.
Avoid real-time updates: Avoid posting real-time updates about your location and itinerary, as this information could be used by cybercriminals to target you for theft or surveillance. Wait until you have returned home to share your travel experience.
Privacy settings: Review your privacy settings to ensure your social media profiles are private, controlling who has access to your accounts and posts.
Photo metadata: Even with privacy settings turned on, photos can contain information cybercriminals are looking for. Metadata can include your location information.
Post-travel sharing: To avoid risks, share your travel photos once you have returned home.
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Minimize Location Sharing
Security at home: Excessive social media sharing creates a security threat at home. By sharing your every location, it allows criminals to determine that you are not in your hotel room or home, leaving both your home and personal property vulnerable.
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Disable Bluetooth Connectivity
Security risks: Similar to automatic Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity can present problems as signals can come from anywhere. If left on, nearby assailants can connect to your device and potentially hack it. Keep Bluetooth disabled as much as possible.
