
Tips to Protect Yourself While Traveling
Summer travel should be a respite from work, when you relax and don’t have to worry about business. And your mobile devices can help make it easier, whether it’s booking a flight or a hotel room, ordering a cab or an Uber driver, browsing websites for your next destination, connecting to family via voice or messaging, even purchasing items in a checkout line or withdrawing cash from an ATM.
That said, all this digital convenience comes at a certain price of vigilance: there are more ways than ever to be exposed to threats on your mobile devices, to have your data, money, or identity stolen. These threats usually arrive by way of your networking options, when emailing, messaging, browsing, or using particular apps and online accounts. Wi-Fi leads the way, followed by near-field communication (NFC) and even Bluetooth (in certain circumstances). But even a simple QR scan on your smartphone or insertion of a USB stick into your laptop can open you up to unexpected threats.
Just when, where, and how do travelers need to be cautious? And how can you protect yourself from networking threats that can turn your vacation into a nightmare?
Wi-Fi Safety Measures
Wi-Fi is your main avenue for online connections. Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere today, in airport terminals or on the shuttle bus, in restaurants and in sidewalk cafes, in your hotel room or out in the mall. How do you safely connect to Wi-Fi?
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USB, QR Code, Near-Field Communication (NFC), and Bluetooth Safety Measures
While Wi-Fi is the most likely vector for threats while traveling, a few more “connected” scenarios are sources for possible attacks:
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Mobile Security While on the Road
Fortunately, Trend Micro provides a bevy of free and paid apps that can help you stay secure while traveling.
Free:
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Paid:
o Android – Provides a Wi-Fi Checker, protects your browser from web threats, scans apps before they’re downloaded from Google Play, and provides antimalware, antivirus protections using real-time and manual scans. Parental and App Controls let parents protect kids at home or traveling from inappropriate websites or prohibited applications. You also get Lost Device Protection, to lock or wipe your device if its lost or stolen. o iOS – Also provides a Wi-Fi Checker, a SafeSurfing browser, a Secure QR Code Scanner, a Content Shield (with a Firewall, Website Filter, and Parental Controls), and Lost Device Protection.
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Go to Trend Micro Security Products for Home for more information about Trend Micro’s security products and services for everyday users, including those for mobile devices.