How to Keep Your Devices Safe When Traveling?

Almost every person in the world packs their smartphones when they travel, as it has become an essential part of the travel experience one cannot afford to lose. Ironically, thousands of smartphones get lost, stolen, damaged, or hacked every year. There’s no denying that, today, a big part of our lives can be found in our smartphones. With that said, keeping your devices safe as much as possible is important, especially when traveling.

While you may feel protected from all of the online threats when you are at home, the same cannot be said when you travel. If you didn’t know already, using your devices on the go increases the risk of getting exposed to online threats and cybercriminals.

Thankfully, there is a set of solutions you can use when traveling to make the experience safer and more pleasurable.

Generally, the three main things you need to know are:

1. How to configure your devices
2. How to manage your devices
3. Importance of VPN for the extra layer of protection

If there’s something that can be said with certainty, it’s that the worst thing one can do for their safety is to use a public network. Public Wi-Fi is unsecured, and it is highly recommended to avoid them.

However, we can understand that sometimes you are in a difficult situation and the only way out of it is to connect to public Wi-Fi. In that case, the best option for you is to use a VPN from only reputable VPN providers such as Le VPN.

#1 Update Your Passwords before Traveling

Your devices carry tons of sensitive and important data, so keeping them safe is a major priority. One of the most popular ways people tend to keep their data safe is by having long and strong passwords for their accounts.

However, creating strong passwords is not a “one and done” deal, as you will need to regularly update your passwords to ensure your data is safe. Changing your passwords from time to time avoids many dangers; hence it’s not something you should take lightly.

You’d be surprised to know how many get hacked solely because their passwords were very predictable, and weak, or they used the same passwords for multiple accounts. The question that arises is then, what makes a good password?

Generally, a good password contains between 12 and 16 characters that consist of lower case letters, upper case letters, symbols, and numbers. Coming up with such a password can be a difficult task, which is why a password generator can come in handy in this case.

Additionally, it would help if you considered investing in a password manager as it will add an extra layer of security, and you will be able to store several complex passwords. At last, if the service that you use has two-factor authentication, use it.

#2 Don’t Forget to Backup Your Data

Backing up your sensitive data is one of the smartest decisions you can make before you travel, as you are showing that you are proactive about your data’s security. When you back up your data, your mind is somewhat at peace, knowing that if any disaster strikes, your information still exists elsewhere.

Generally, no matter if your data is business-related or personal, you should always back up your data. While backing up data onto a cloud storage area is perhaps the most common way to do it, on-premise servers, as well as hard drives, are just as good. Moreover, it is good to know that multiple copies of backups can be saved.

There are multiple types of data backup available, and which one to go for solely depends on one’s preferences and needs. A full backup is considered the most common type, but there are also full PC backup, local backup, online backup, etc.

Each kind of backup has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to the user to weigh out the good and the bad and make a decision.

It is highly recommended that you do a full data backup once a week, especially if it is your business data on the line. This is best done on the weekend as it won’t stunt productivity.

In the world of technology we live in today, one has a variety of options when it comes to choosing how to back up their system; the main six techniques are backup software, external hard drive, cloud backup, tape backup, hardware appliances, and removable media.

#3 Make Your Location a Mystery

If we’re being honest, it’s very common for travelers to update their socials about their whereabouts. However, by signaling your every move, you make it easy for a cybercriminal to determine where you are, which creates a security threat at your home.

Although having a GPS-capable device is great for travelers as it helps them navigate unfamiliar places, unfortunately, enabling location features also puts you at risk of cyberattacks. There’s no doubt that gadgets are invaluable companions for travelers nowadays.

However, with the increased usage of these devices, cybersecurity breaches are more common than ever before.

Generally, there are a lot of ways one can protect their devices when traveling. Each one requires some time and education but is always worth it. Prevention is the best cure. In a world where cyberattacks are more and more prevalent, it is important to take cybersecurity seriously. At the end of the day, no one else will do it for you.

Finally, in case you need to mask your online presence as well as location, it is best to use a VPN from trustworthy VPN providers such as Le VPN.