Nowadays, keeping your personal data consistently well-protected and private is of the utmost importance.
While there may be various effective measures you can use to stay private in your own country – installing a robust VPN, customizing your privacy settings on social media sites and Google, or keeping your information off data broker sites – overseas, you may need to take extra steps.
As a result, if you regularly travel abroad on business, it’s important to be aware of your data security while doing so.
All too often, corporate travelers use free WiFi in hotels, airports, and cafes without thinking about who may be able to access the network and hack into their business accounts. Accidentally giving nefarious entities access to your company’s sensitive data could lead to serious consequences for both you and the company.
In order to help you stay as safe as possible, here are some top tips for keeping your data secure while traveling abroad on business.
Lock up your information
These days, most of the devices we use for business come with an array of helpful features – one of which is the ability to lock them using a chosen method such as a PIN number, fingerprint ID, or even facial recognition. This can form a crucial barrier against anyone trying to break into your device, so you should be sure to set these locks on all work devices you take abroad.
Don’t share your location
If you always update your location on your social media before going abroad, or even before leaving your hotel room for a chosen destination, then you may want to rethink doing so. Sharing your location allows potential thieves and hackers to know exactly where you are, leaving your possessions vulnerable.
Be wary of public WiFi
Public Wifi networks may be very useful for corporate travellers, but they can also pose a threat to the security of your data. If you urgently need to use such a network, be sure not to type any sensitive information, just in case the WiFi has been hacked. Where possible, however, stay away from unprotected and unencrypted networks, to be on the safe side.
Change your passwords regularly
Passwords are one of the most commonly used forms of data protection, and these days many of us have a number of different passwords for our various accounts. In order to heighten the strength of your data privacy, however, it’s recommended that you change your passwords on a regular basis, particularly if you travel a lot.
You should also make these passwords as complex – or ‘strong’ – as possible, to prevent a criminal from being able to easily guess them.
Install antivirus software on your devices
Antivirus software is an effective way to intensify the levels of security on all of your devices, from your laptop to your tablet and smartphone. They can also be very cost-effective, and, best of all, any antivirus made by a reputable developer will be updated on a regular basis to prevent any vulnerabilities from being exploited. Installing antivirus on all of your work devices – as well as your personal ones – is an easy way to help ensure your data protection at all times, including when traveling abroad.