Traveling comes with obvious dangers – missing your flight, losing your passport, or getting lost on a trek through the jungle – but it can also expose you to some serious technological perils.
In recent years, many hotel chains and airlines have been hit with data breaches that have jeopardized customer information such as credit card numbers, travel history, and personal identifying information. Even if your data isn’t stolen by a hacker, traveling can also put you at risk of theft and scams.
Luckily, there are some easy ways to protect your data while on the move.
Pexels According to Conde Nast Traveler, traveling with your everyday credit or debit cards is a big no-no. If you lose a card or your information is swiped, it’ll be a much bigger pain to replace the card or freeze the account.
You should also make sure passwords on things like your smartphone, financial apps, and bank accounts are as secure as possible. If you haven’t changed them in a while, you should definitely do so before and after a trip.
Connecting to public Wi-Fi can also put your data in danger. Many public connections aren’t secure and can be used by nefarious individuals or programs to lift sensitive information from browsers.
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You should also use caution when connecting to a rental car’s Bluetooth system, as your phone’s information often remains stored in the vehicle even after your turn in the keys.
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According to Conde Nast Traveler, traveling with your everyday credit or debit cards is a big no-no. If you lose a card or your information is swiped, it’ll be a much bigger pain to replace the card or freeze the account.
You should also make sure passwords on things like your smartphone, financial apps, and bank accounts are as secure as possible. If you haven’t changed them in a while, you should definitely do so before and after a trip.
Connecting to public Wi-Fi can also put your data in danger. Many public connections aren’t secure and can be used by nefarious individuals or programs to lift sensitive information from browsers.
Traveling shouldn’t mean losing your sensitive financial and personal data. Keep an eye on your devices and develop good technology habits to keep your data secure.
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