How to Keep Business Data Safe When You Travel

The concepts of business data and protecting information are almost invariably at the forefront of our attention. Hackers and cyber criminals are becoming increasing prevalent and also savvy in their tactics, and the business world has had to take many steps to make sure they’re protecting themselves. This extends not just to small, medium-sized and large businesses, but also to individuals.

What if you frequently travel for work? It can then become even harder to keep business data protected, so how do you do it?

Be Wary of Public Wi-Fi

Using public wi-fi is probably one of the biggest points of weakness you’re going to encounter when you’re traveling for work, or just using your computer outside of your home or office in general.

It can be a particularly significant threat when you’re in hotels and international airports. These are two of the biggest points of weakness that cybercriminals tend to target, and you don’t have the protection of using software to scan network weaknesses like you probably have at your office.

Along with being careful yourself when it comes to using public wi-fi, make sure your employees are aware of this threat as well.

If you do use public wi-fi, make sure you’re sending information encrypted with the use of something like a Virtual Private Network.

Installing a Virtual Private Network

As mentioned above, using a virtual private network can be incredibly valuable if you travel, particularly overseas, for work. When you use a virtual private network, it will allow you to visit a lot of websites that might be blocked in other countries, and it also keeps your data secure at the same time.

Back Up Your Data

Any number of things could happen to your device while you’re traveling, so it’s important before going on any trip that you backup your work data. You can use something like Dropbox or iCloud, so even if your device is stolen, you’ll still be able to access your important information and data.

Educate Yourself on Potential Threats

If you work for a large corporation and you’re traveling to a country where corporate spying and hacking are common, you should proactively educate yourself on potential threats and vulnerabilities before traveling.

There are different tactics used most frequently in different places. For example, in one location it might be more common to try and steal your laptop, while in another, using a phishing attack may be more prevalent.

By knowing what you’re up against, you can be more aware and vigilant against possible threats.

Finally, one of the simplest ways you can protect your data when you’re traveling is to put a lock on your computer. It can be all too easy for criminals and spies to simply take your computer and access all the information and data on it. They may do this in a café, or even from your hotel room. They can even take it from your hotel safe, but if you put a lock on your computer, they won’t be able to use the device because to unlock it would require destroying it.