You always have to be connected to the internet when you travel. Navigating a new city through maps, using translation apps to shop and talk to locals, checking your reservations, blogging, paying for various services, and reaching out to loved ones.
Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to handle it right. A lot of travelers make digital security mistakes: they connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks, share too much of their personal information online, skip software updates, and don’t protect their sensitive data. This can end in many unfortunate ways, such as data leaks, theft, hacked accounts, and many more.
Let’s learn the common mistakes and how to avoid them when traveling.
Using Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks
Imagine you have just arrived at the airport at your destination. What is the first thing you’ll do? Probably, connect to the first internet hotspot you find. Likewise, you will stay connected to the Wi-Fi at the hotel or rental you’ll stay at.
While relying on free networks is convenient, it’s not always the safest way to stay online — they are not secured with encryption or complicated passwords, meaning that anyone can join them. In most cases, your IP address is shared widely and frequently with other users and websites online, which allows for tracking and exposure. If you are asking, “Can hackers see my location?” the answer is: they may be able to find out your approximate location.
Hackers can easily infiltrate the network, too, snooping for your personal information. Without security software such as a VPN that can encrypt the connection, they can easily steal your logins, passwords, and other sensitive data. When encrypted, however, all they’ll see is a mix of code, impossible to understand. Also, consider connecting to a mobile network instead — it’s way safer and more encrypted than public Wi-Fi.
Oversharing Personal Information
We are already used to blogging. We share our personal information on social media, post photos of the locations we frequent, and share everything we do on the weekend. When it comes to traveling, our followers know all our itinerary details. We also enable location sharing on our phones, so our loved ones can see where we are.
But most of the time, sharing your personal information and location 24/7 is not the best idea. As you post photos, social media apps may show where you are to anyone online. Strangers might find out where you are staying, when you’re frequenting tourist spots, and the times you are most vulnerable to scams and theft.
Disable location sharing when not needed and avoid posting personal information online. Make sure your social media accounts are private, and only loved ones can see where you are. Only post the photos of the places you visit after you leave them.
Storing Sensitive Data Carelessly
Traveling or not, many people don’t protect their sensitive data well enough. They connect to the internet via unsecured networks and input login credentials, passwords, credit card numbers, and email addresses, not realizing that hackers can easily copy everything. Then, these bad actors use the data to break into accounts, distribute spam, steal money, and sell information to other hackers.
The best password managers can help store and navigate sensitive data more carefully. You no longer have to note down or input the details yourself — everything is saved in an encrypted vault protected by a master password. Then, once you have to pay or log in, the card details and credentials are input automatically by the software. It can be used across multiple devices, too.
Avoid Digital Mistakes — Travel Safely
Your digital safety matters as much as physical safety when you travel. Ensure that you don’t use public Wi-Fi without a VPN or stick to a mobile network instead. Additionally, don’t share too much of your personal information online, and store your sensitive data carefully, including credit card numbers, logins, and passwords. Then, you won’t have to deal with stressful situations like hacked accounts, lost passwords, and theft — your journey will be safe and happy.
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