Cyber Trip Advisor: Top Tips While on the Go
posted
on Monday, May 15, 2017
in
Security & Fraud Information
For many, Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial kickoff to the summer travel season. This year, 59 percent of Americans plan to take warm weather sojourns – up from 51 percent last year. Whether you’re hitting the highway and headed to the beach or flying the friendly skies to an exotic destination, the likelihood is that you will book your trip online. Americans spend 8.7 billion minutes per month interacting with digital travel content – a 41-percent increase year over year.
With various elements of your vacation literally at your fingertips, it’s important to keep all of your devices safe and secure. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) has some hassle-free, tried-and-true STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ tips to help vacationers protect themselves, their families and their extended online communities. By following these travel-inspired “to-dos,” you can use the internet with greater confidence and peace of mind not only when planning but also while enjoying your well-deserved summer escape.
Top Tips While On the Go
- Actively manage location services
Location tools come in handy while planning your trip or navigating a new city, but they can also expose your whereabouts – even through photos. Turn off location services when they’re not in use. - Get savvy about WiFi hot spots
Do not transmit personal info or make purchases on unsecure networks like those in local cafes and hotel lobbies. Instead, use a virtual private network (VPN) or your phone’s cellular connection as a personal hotspot to surf more securely. - Delete unused apps
any people use apps that can be specific to a city or attraction. These apps should be deleted when no longer needed. - Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth when idle
When WiFi and Bluetooth are on, they connect and track your whereabouts. If you do not need them, switch them off. - Protect your $$$
Be sure to shop or bank only on secure sites. A web address with “https://” means the site takes extra security measures. However, an “http://” address is not secure. - Never use public computers to log in to any accounts
Be extremely cautious on public computers in public places like airports, hotel lobbies and internet cafes. Keep activities as generic and anonymous as possible. - Share with care
Think twice before posting pictures that would reveal you are not home or that you would not want certain people (like your parents or employer) to see. - Post only about others as you would have them post about you
The golden rule applies online, too.
While on travel, you will probably rely heavily on your mobile devices. Take a look at this STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ tip sheet and learn best practices for staying safe and secure online during your trip.