How to protect your phone, computer and their content when you travel over the holidays
Whether you’re heading home for the holidays or just planning a long weekend, Florida’s consumer watchdog agency wants you to remember your cybersafety.
That means following simple precautions to protect the devices you take with you, the information they carry and your trip itself, the agency noted in a recent bulletin for travelers.
Those precautions should start even before you make your reservations.
Don’t trust your trip or your credit information to an unfamiliar booking site. When in doubt, Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recommends avoiding fraudulent third-party booking companies by sticking to known hotel and airline websites, and double-checking the site’s URL. If a deal seems too good to be true, be all the more cautious. It could be the exact opposite of a bargain.
Then make a checklist of steps you can put in place before you hit the road.
Set up the “find my phone” feature. That setting will not only help you track your phone but also remotely wipe its data and disable it, to protect your information in the event your device is stolen.
In addition, the National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends making sure all of the security features including antivirus software, authentication options, and remote ability to block use are updated and set for automatic updates on your devices to protect them from the newest hacks and viruses.
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Don’t consider your packing complete until you have stored backup copies of your devices' contents including work, music, photos and documents. Store information on a device that’s not coming with you, as well as a flash drive you can use to retrieve information you need in the event the device you’re using to stay connected during travel suffers a malware attack or is stolen. Make a habit of backing up all your data in a secure cloud server that you access through an account.
Travel light. Every device you take with you is one more to keep track of. If you don’t need it, leave it at home.
As you travel, remain vigilant and keep your devices with you, or locked in the hotel safe. If you are carrying a device in checked luggage, make sure the bag is either wrapped in plastic at the airport or locked.
Protect access to your device and your information
Turn off auto-connecting and Bluetooth in your phone settings. They can give cybercriminals access to your device.
Public Wi-Fi is convenient and sometimes necessary to use, but it is not secure. Don’t use it to shop, log onto email or bank accounts or to access other sensitive information. Use your phone as a hot spot for your computer when in doubt. The same goes for public computers in hotel business centers, libraries and internet cafes. If you are using a public computer, always click “log out” when you’re finished.
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Location tools on your phone can help steer you in the right direction when you’re in an unfamiliar place, but they can also let thieves know where you are. Turn off those services when you’re not using them.
And you don’t need to let everyone — including burglars — know what a fabulous time you’re having far from home. Wait until you get back to post those vacation photos on social media.
Antigone Barton is a reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at avbarton@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Holiday travel: Protect your phone, computer and what's on them
