13.07.2023 - The summer holidays are upon us, and holiday time often means travel time. In an increasingly connected world, where various mobile devices such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets also travel with you, it is important to protect yourself from the dangers present in cyberspace. This is particularly the case when travelling abroad.
In addition to your real-world preparations, such as packing your suitcase, it is important that you also take some measures in the digital world to ensure a relaxed trip. The most important measures that you can take to protect your online security before you travel are outlined below.
Watch out when booking!
In most cases, planning a trip starts with looking for suitable accommodation or booking a flight. While searching the internet, you might discover a tempting travel offer, at an unbeatable price – in this case, caution is advised: if an offer is too good to be true, it usually is.
- Book your stay on trustworthy platforms or directly with the airline, the hotel or via a travel agent
- Check if the airline's and accommodation's websites are genuine by looking at the website's "About us" page
- Check the user reviews
- Only use secure payment sites
Before you leave:
Only take essentials with you:
Only take essential devices with you. And make a note of the credit card company's hotline number in case you need to block your card(s).
Create a backup:
Your device could be lost or stolen while on holiday.
Back up your data before you leave.
Update your software:
Make sure all your devices, including smartphones, laptops and tablets, have the latest operating systems and security updates. Updated software will patch known security vulnerabilities and protect you from potential attacks.
Use strong passwords:
Before you leave, review all your passwords and make sure they are strong and unique. Avoid common passwords and use the longest possible combination of letters, numbers and special characters. In addition, use different passwords for each of your online accounts to ensure that one compromised account does not jeopardise all the others.
Enable two-factor authentication:
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to complete another verification step in addition to your password, such as receiving a code via text message or using an authentication app. Enable this feature on all your accounts that support it to make unauthorised access more difficult. Be sure to also activate 3D Secure on your credit card(s).
Secure your devices:
Make sure you protect all your devices with a PIN, password, fingerprint or facial recognition. If possible, activate encryption for your hard drives to protect your data from unauthorised access. Take only essential devices with you.
By following these few steps, you can minimise the risk of cyberattacks and data loss.
Last modification 13.07.2023
