Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Protecting Digital Privacy On The Road

If there’s one risk of traveling that people tend to overlook, it’s their digital safety.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself from hackers.

The biggest risk is using unsecured wireless Internet connections.

With more and more airports, hotels and coffee shops offering free Wi-Fi access, it’s tempting just to log on and start working.

I get it, it’s convenient, but it’s not secure, so don’t engage in any online activity that requires you giving out private information.

That includes accessing your bank account and purchasing items online.

And speaking of convenience, too many of us rely on the same simple passwords for multiple accounts.

Before going on a trip, change all of your passwords. Use a mix of letters and numbers to make it more complex. Keep any sensitive data stored on an encrypted flashdrive instead of on your computer.

There’s one, called The IronKey Personal that can protect your passwords and files with military-grade hardware encryption.

You can also hide and encrypt folders on your computer using programs like Truecrypt, which is free and open source.

Learn more about protecting yourself and your valuables on the road with our Travel Safety & Security section.

Find more helpful hints in our Travel Tips section.