Travelling can be a truly life-changing experience. It can offer a sense of independence and broaden your horizons. It allows you to experience different cultures and cuisines. You can also meet new people and make new friends.
But there are also a lot of things to think about when you head off on your overseas adventure.
You need to make sure your documentation is in order and that you have enough money to fund your trip. A rough itinerary can help create some structure. You also need to consider any vaccinations you may require.
On top of all that, you need to be mindful of your data security. You may be more susceptible to breaches when travelling, but why is this? And what can you do about it? Read on to find out more.
Why are you more vulnerable when travelling?
Depending on your network provider, data roaming when abroad can prove extremely expensive. You may be more reliant on Wi-Fi connections to browse the web, log in to social media, or message your loved ones.
But these connections may not always be as secure as those you’ve become used to back home.
What can you do to guard against it?
Avoid suspicious Wi-Fi connections
The first step is to be careful which networks you join. Free or open Wi-Fi connections can prove convenient, but they also increase your risk of a breach. Hackers or opportunists may be able to use that shared network to invade your privacy and access your sensitive data.
Install a virtual private network
When overseas, you’re bound to visit websites that you’re not familiar with as you search for information about your location.
By installing a VPN with malware removal functionality, any potentially malicious sites get flagged, and you’ll know not to take the risk.
Turn off auto-join
When you’re not travelling, you’ll spend most of your time in a couple of locations – at home and work.
Chances are you’ll have set up your devices to join these Wi-Fi networks automatically. This means you don’t have to log in with the password each time.
But in unfamiliar surroundings, you can be less sure of the security of these networks. So, it’s best to turn off this feature.
Turn off your location sharing
This prevents any potential hackers or cybercriminals from tracking exactly where you are. It will help protect your physical safety, as well as your online data, if you are sharing from a location where there is an unsecured Wi-Fi connection.
