Heading away on holiday this year? Or have an upcoming work trip? Wherever you’re going, you need to protect your privacy while on the road.
Thankfully, protecting your privacy while traveling is easier than you might think, and taking just a few small steps can keep your data secure.
1Avoid Public Wi-Fi
First,avoid public Wi-Fi where possible.There are several dangers to using public Wi-Fi, such as data theft, tracking, and monitoring, which make connecting to any open network risky. It’s worth noting that this applies to public Wi-Fi anywhere, not just when traveling.
Now, there are some small caveats to this. One is that public Wi-Fi that requires some type of password is much safer than an open public Wi-Fi network. The password requirements mean the network uses some form of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security to protect users. There areseveral different WPA versions, with WPA3 being the most recent. While WPA security has its issues, it’s better than nothing and offers some protection.
Another step you can take to avoid public Wi-Fi is to disable auto-connect. This will stop your devices from automatically attempting to connect to Wi-Fi connections, keeping your data private in busy areas, locations where you don’t want to be connected, and so on.
2Use a VPN
The second way to protect your data—and thisworks well in conjunction with public Wi-Fi—is to use a VPN.
A VPN connects you to a secure, private network that uses encryption to keep your data secure. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic travels through its servers before arriving at the website, app, or service you’re using, keeping your data private in transit.
Now, the most secure option is to use a paid-for VPN subscription from one ofthe best VPN services, likeExpressVPN,NordVPN, orProtonVPN. Most paid VPN providers offer substantial protection and have third-party auditing to ensure they’re not logging any user data. Alternatively, you canuse a free VPN service, but they’renot considered as secure as a paid subscription. As the old adage goes, if you’re not paying, you’re the product.
That said, in a pinch, a free VPN subscription from a trusted VPN provider will certainly make do.
3Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication
You canprotect your accounts using two-factor authentication (2FA)or multi-factor authentication (MFA). In short, 2FA and MFA require you to have at least two devices to access an account.
Trying to log in with one account creates a prompt on another device, requiring a one-time code or response to a unique prompt. The additional authentication step means your accounts are secure even if you lose one device.
There are three types of “factors” that can be used for authentication.
You still need your password, but you use it in conjunction with these additional authentication methods to secure your accounts. If you’re traveling, set your accounts up with 2FA before you leave.
4Encrypt and Track Your Devices
Most devices support some form of encryption, effectively scrambling and locking up your data behind a strong, unique password. If anyone steals your device while encrypted, they won’t be able to steal your data, even if they plug it into another device.
iPhones and most Android smartphones enable full-disk encryption, while there arenumerous encryption tools for Windows,ways to encrypt folders on macOS, and, of course,ways to encrypt on Linux, too.
Similarly, iOS and Android have integrated tracking allowing you to track a stolen or misplaced device. Both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device can track your phone,even when it’s switched off.
5Don’t Post on Social Media
Now, this one is a little trickier. Who doesn’t love posting those Insta-perfect pictures of an amazing getaway? But posting to social media that you’re thousands of miles from home opens you up to another problem: burglary.
With millions of posts on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media networks using tags like #holiday, #airport, #vacation, and #traveling, it’s easy for thieves to scope out potential targets. It becomes easier if a potential target has linked accounts that help build a bigger picture, along with potential addresses, locations, and other personally identifying information.
Posting pics for the folks back home isn’t off-limits, though; you just have to take some precautions. For example, make sure your accounts are set to private and only viewable by friends and family, and if that’s not possible, try to limit the number of posts you make advertising that your house is currently unoccupied.
Similarly, it’s tempting to sign in at specific locations and share your location data to show where you are and where you’ve been, but this, again, can be used to show that you’re out of town.
6General Privacy Tips for Traveling
There are a bunch of extra steps you can take to protect your privacy while traveling, but they’re more general tips.
For example, before heading away, it’s worth updating your devices and apps to ensure they’re using the latest version. This should protect against potential security issues.
Similarly, verify you’re using strong and unique passwords for your online accounts, andconsider using a password managerto keep your passwords organized.
Another potential issue towatch out for is juice-jacking, where your data is pilfered after you connect to a public charging port. It seems far-fetched, but it does happen.
Finally, remember to wipe any data from your car rental while abroad. Car rental companies are better at this these days, but remembering to do it yourself prevents potential privacy issues, like someone accessing your contacts, private information, and so on.
It’s not difficult to protect your privacy while traveling, but it does take a small amount of planning before you step onto your flight.
