Traveling in the Age of Information Theft

Various technologies, without a doubt, have made our lives easier.

Nearly anything can be done using a smartphone in your back pocket – from navigating the world to checking out which restaurants you should visit.

However, as much as technology brings, some nefarious actors use it for criminal activities, such as identity theft.

Knowing what the dangers are and how to protect yourself is paramount when traveling in the age of information, and we are here to teach you all about it.

Protecting Your Accounts

Your online accounts hold a lot of valuable information, so taking extra security measures to protect them is incredibly important while traveling.

Before you hit the road, fortify your digital defenses by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible.

As the name suggests, this security measure adds a requirement for a secondary form of verification, such as a code sent to your mobile phone when there is a login attempt.

This means that even if hackers figure out your password, they won’t be able to get into your account as they would not have access to your phone or other secondary form of verification.

In addition to 2FA, it's crucial to regularly monitor your accounts for any signs of suspicious activity. Keep a close eye on your financial transactions, checking for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals.

Set up alerts with your bank or credit card provider to receive notifications of unusual activity in real time.

Securing Your Connection

Public Wi-Fi networks that you find in cafes, hotels, and airports are very convenient, but they pose serious security threats.

Oftentimes, they are prime targets for cybercriminals who seek to intercept sensitive information that travels through unsecured connections. The best way to protect yourself in this case is by using a reliable virtual private network (VPN) service, such as, for example, Mysterium VPN. A VPN routes your connection through a secure server which then encrypts all the traffic, effectively creating a tunnel between your device and the internet.

This makes it impossible for third parties and cybercriminals to intercept your data and helps keep your online activities private and secure.

Furthermore, deploying additional security measures, such as firewall software and antivirus programs, can further bolster your defenses against potential threats while traveling.

These tools help detect and block malicious activity, such as malware or phishing attempts, providing an additional layer of protection for your devices and data.

Securing Your Data

If there is any important data that you absolutely need to bring to your trip, do not keep it in cloud storage. Although convenient, accessing it from unsecured devices or networks poses a significant risk.

Instead, use encrypted USB drives or secure digital lockers for this data. As these files are offline and physically secured, it minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches. 

If you opt-in for an encrypted USB drive, even if you lose it somewhere, it won’t be of much use to cybercriminals as they would not be able to decrypt the information within it. During the encryption process, all of your data is basically scrambled and made unreadable.

Without the encryption key, this data can not be unscrambled. The encryption process can be done via specialized software or via built-in features that are present in more high-end secure USB drives.

Beware of Phishing

Phishing attacks usually come in the form of deceptive emails or text messages that trick people into giving out sensitive information or clicking malicious links.

The messages may appear legitimate as if coming from your bank, airlines, or even government agencies. The best way to protect yourself in this case is to be vigilant and scrutinize all messages, taking note of unusual requests for personal information or urgent action.

If you are convinced that the message is legitimate, still exercise caution by checking if the website that requests your information is secured with HTTPS encryption and if the URL of the said website does not contain any typos or other unusual features.

And if you still have doubts, it’s always better to be safe than sorry – do not provide any personal information until you can truly verify the legitimacy of the sender and the website at hand.

Conclusion

While technology has revolutionized the way we travel, it's essential to remain vigilant in the face of evolving threats to our digital security.

By taking proactive measures to protect your data, both online and offline, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your personal information remains secure while exploring the world.