Travel Cyber Security Alert: How to Get Secure WiFi When Traveling

Whether you are on a day trip to a conference or an extended business trip out of the country, travel cyber security considerations are more important than ever. Our phones and laptops play a central role in business travel, from storing boarding passes and hotel check-in information to hailing rideshares. That’s on top of any payment and banking apps your devices hold. At the same time, airports, train stations, hotels and just about anywhere public WiFi and cell service are available have become prime hunting grounds for cybercriminals. You do your best to keep your luggage safe while traveling, so why wouldn’t you want to be extra careful in protecting the valuable data stored on your phone and laptop? Traveling makes all your connected devices more vulnerable, so it’s essential to know the best practices for public WiFi, how to get secure WiFi when traveling and what to do if your phone is hacked.

Q: Why is it important to protect your data while traveling?

A: When you travel, especially internationally, you're often connecting to unfamiliar WiFi networks, using public computers or carrying devices that hold sensitive personal and financial information. This makes you a valuable target for cybercriminals. Protecting your data while traveling ensures that your identity, bank accounts, emails, business data and other private information remain secure, preventing potential theft or misuse.

What Cyber Security Steps Should You Take Before Traveling?

It’s imperative to take proactive steps to secure your devices before leaving home. Here are some simple steps you can take to improve your travel cyber security:

• Stow Sensitive Data – Remove as much of the most sensitive data as possible from your devices before traveling
• Back Up All Files – It is crucial that you have a clean backup of all your data before leaving home. If your devices are hacked while you’re away, the backup will ensure that you’ll be able to restore your untainted data once your devices are cleaned of malware
• Update Your Software – Updates often contain security fixes from the software developers, so keeping them refreshed might help fend off cyberattacks
• Create Strong Passwords – Before traveling, check your passwords to be sure none are duplicated or weak and update them if needed. Better still, use a password manager to store and protect passwords and access it from all your devices. Strong passwords are the first line of defense against cybercrimes

Q: How to Get Secure WiFi when Traveling?

A: Public WiFi networks in airports, hotels and cafes are convenient but often unsecured, making it easy for hackers to intercept your data. Cybercriminals can also create a WiFi network designed to capture logins and passwords. To stay safe, always use a virtual private network (VPN), which encrypts your internet connection and hides your data from prying eyes. Avoid accessing sensitive accounts, like online banking, over public WiFi unless you're using a secure connection.

Being prepared for safe travel internet access doesn’t mean you can be reckless while traveling. You’ll know quickly if your physical device is stolen. However, cybercriminals trying to steal your passwords to compromise your business network or bank account might not be as obvious. Here are some valuable tips:

• Limit Public WiFi Use – Do not use public WiFi to make online purchases or bank transactions
• Change All Your Passwords – Do not use the same passwords or PINs overseas that you use at home
• Log In and Out of Public WiFi – Logging in and out can make your devices more of a “moving target” for hackers, and if you try entering the wrong password and can still log on, it could be a sign that your device has been compromised
• Turn off Auto-Join – Before logging on to a public WiFi network, turn off the “Auto-Join” function on your phone, so you can be sure to log on only to the network you want
• Consider a Virtual Private Network (VPN) – Before an extensive trip, you might want to get a cyber risk analysis by IT professionals and consider installing a VPN, which shields your web use, before leaving
• Use a Password Manager – This software can create and store long, secure passwords, help prevent reusing passwords and alert you when has been compromised in a breach. You can access the password manager on all your devices

Q: What precautions should you take with your devices?

A: Before you travel, update your devices' operating systems, apps and antivirus software to patch security vulnerabilities. Set up strong passwords or biometric authentication and enable device encryption. It’s also smart to activate remote wipe capabilities so you can erase your data if a device is lost or stolen. Keep your devices physically secure and avoid leaving them unattended in public areas.

What to Do if Your Phone Is Hacked

After recovering from the initial shock and vulnerability that comes after being hacked, there are some immediate steps to take. Contact your IT security provider for help or try these steps if help is unavailable:

• Check for Suspicious Apps – Check your apps in Settings and delete any you don’t remember as preinstalled on your phone or that you installed
• Scan Your Entire Device – After removing unwanted apps, do a complete virus scan of the infected device
• Reset Your Device – If you have a clean backup of your device’s data, as a last resort, you can erase all the data on your phone, returning it to the factory settings
• Restore Your Data – Once your phone is clean, restore the backup created before your device was compromised

Many small and midsized businesses (SMBs) lack an in-house IT security department and instead rely on affordable managed security services. These outsourced IT professionals can help analyze your vulnerabilities and propose state-of-the-art safeguards to help ensure full business data protection. In addition, they can help train your team in cyber security and phishing awareness to help reduce the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches.

What Are the Best Ways to Get Travel Cyber Security?

IT security firms specialize in preventing cyber threats and have an array of solutions to ensure your business has the best possible cyber protection. They can set up secure VPNs and train employees on the use of secure WiFi while traveling. They can also assist employees if their phone or laptop is hacked.

Strong protection requires all employees to be on the same page, and every device on your network to be protected. The harsh reality is that cyberattacks can have devastating financial consequences for any business, whether at home or on the road. Reach out to us if you are in the greater New York City, or to a local IT security firm to assess your vulnerabilities, monitor your networks, putting your mind at ease and reducing the data risk of business travel.