Travelling, whether within or outside the UK, equates to leaving worries behind and unwinding, and this reality is difficult to dispute. You don’t have a care in the world while you’re taking in the beauty of your surroundings, and while this is the healthy way to experience your trips, it can also be a silent trap to relaxing your vigilance online. The last thing you want is to stress over the safety of the wi-fi connections you use, or over what sites you log into. Traveling often leads to a sense of relaxation and detachment from everyday concerns, which can be taxing when it comes to online safety, particularly among individuals who become more vulnerable to cyber threats when far from home.
A rising body of studies focuses on how big of a target today’s traveller becomes when on foreign shores. Some are aware they should pay more attention to their online integrity when out and about, yet they can’t quite name the risks they’re exposing themselves to. There’s also a worrying number of travelers who are unaware that their safety is compromised when using the internet abroad. Numbers speak for themselves: recently, almost 3 in 10 travellers have become the target or the victim of a scam, either during the adventure’s organization or during it.
You want to think about the places you didn’t make it to, how you’re going to replicate that scrumptious meal, or how you’ll return to that stunning UK beach – anything but how many online threats you’ve exposed yourself to, or how that data leakage you’ve just notified about might impact you. Keeping this in mind, here are the key actions to ensure your digital safety while traveling in the UK – and beyond.
Don’t overshare on social media
The excitement you feel when you come across a fairytale-like, natural spot, with the lovely sunset in the background and the angle perfectly fit for the World Press Photo of the Year is a one-of-a-kind emotion – you’re encouraged to take as many pics as you feel like. What you’re not advised to do, whatsoever, is to confine your excitement purely to social media. Impostors continue to use the “old school” method of haunting travellers down online and stealing their sensitive data, making use of social media platforms in their activities. They’d gather the personally identifiable information found online without restrictions and further use it to commit identity fraud and theft.
So, while it might be fun and part of the thrill to share holiday updates and insights with your friends on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc., you need to remain cautious, as what we share online can sometimes come back to haunt us. These details particularly are to be kept private:
- Social Security number
- Cell phone number
- Vacation plans
- Home address
- Pics with children
- Birthday dates.
Use a password manager
It’s tempting to just activate that public wi-fi network in your standard café, restaurant, hotel, airport, or bus. But this will only make it easier for cybercriminals to intercept your login permits, like your email or phone number. A common sight is a wi-fi network set up by hackers and named after the hotel or café you’re visiting. Another threat is the man-in-the-middle attack, where hoaxers eavesdrop on unencrypted activity and obtain access to the data you send. The list of ways attackers intercept credentials is long, but the talk is about what you can do to counteract such attempts. This is where the password manager comes into play, helping to store all your credentials in one encrypted place, safeguarding them and providing you with access, so you don’t have to keep them in mind.
You don’t have to tweak old, weak passwords just to change your current one. This reduces the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks or data breaches, also offering you the peace of mind that comes with having a top-tier password manager protecting your most sensitive information. You’ll then be able to log in safely anywhere, even on new devices, without exposing your data.
Have your software constantly updated
One of the most essential things to do before hitting the road is to ensure your device’s software is updated. You can do this manually, but it’s best to set up automated updates. What’s with all this urgency? When a security flaw is detected, the issuing company creates a software update, fix, or patch to address the bug or vulnerability. Your apps and system don’t just run free of risks and protected against malware and hackers, but their performance increases, from loading times to browsing speed. Unless you install the update, your system will be vulnerable.
Your devices’ operating systems should be on par with your web browsers – the latter is where individuals come across fake sites, fishy pop-up ads, and more. Always take action when your browser notifies you about potentially malicious sites, and make sure to update your apps, too, because most of them are gateways to your sensitive personal info, like credit card or banking numbers.
Disable automatic wi-fi connection
It’s one thing to be cautious with the public wi-fi you use and another thing to keep away from it like it’s some sort of hacker sidekick. Not all public wi-fi represents a threat – actually, many travellers resort to public wi-fi networks as an easy and cheap alternative to options like the eSIM. The main thing is to only use reliable, trusted public wi-fi, for which you’ll need to scrutinize your networks yourself.
Turn off automatic connections, whether on Windows, Android, or iOS, and decide for yourself which network is worth your trust.
Last tip: avoid public charging instalments.
Avoid using communal USB charging stations whenever possible, as many cybersecurity experts have highlighted the risk of malicious actors infecting these installations with corrupted programs and intercepting users’ credentials. Instead, rely on your external battery, car charger, and so on. Ensure you select “charge only” when plugging your device into the USB port and are asked to choose between this option and “trust this computer” or “share data”. This practice right here is known as “juice jacking” and it can be a common sight at some public USB stations.
Safety begins with your online identity, so tread carefully!
