5 tips on staying safe online when travelling

We always stay on top of online safety especially with our kids when we are home and it does help that they have extremely limited to access to the internet and as a family we are also aware of keeping our own details safe and changing passwords regularly. Some may even make use of additional security solutions, such as a vpn for streaming, in order to further protect their devices. Many however forget to be as vigilant when travelling either solo, as a couple or as a family it's really important to be aware of the risks and take precautions when going online while on the road.
  

1. Be on top of your updates

Before you leave you want to make sure your laptop is running the latest version operating system an security software and I would also recommend using the highest security settings while travelling. You can also consider setting your apps passwords with an access key which can add an extra layer of security. Also make sure all your devices have passwords to be open so if anything is stolen they cannot access your laptop of phone information. 

2. Don't share personal information on public wifi

Unlike our wifi connection at home which is secure, places like hotels and restaurants use public wifi and should be seen as exactly that, public. Just because you are using a personal device does not mean someone cannot gain access through readily available software so don't log into things like online banking unless you absolutely have too or any services that need your password. If you are really worried you could also pay a monthly free for a Virtual Private network which offers a very high level of security.

3. Keep Content Safe

Always remember to back up all content before you leave for a trip, you never know what could happen and you don't want to loose any work you have done. I was once on a trip and my computer was affect by a virus and I lost a lot of work so now I always back up everything to the cloud as well as an external hard drive just in case.

4. Don't share details

We are all on social media these days and love to share our trips on instagram and twitter but always air on the side of caution. Perhaps upload a day later while your no longer at a specific location or if you do want to share your holiday "live" then make sure not accidentally show your hotel room number or boarding pass number (there have been cases of frequent flyer miles being stolen because of this). Use common sense when it comes to uploading things.

5. Have insurance

Make sure any expensive technology equipment such as your cameras, laptop and phone have insurance because the worst thing is having one of these items stolen as well as causing any disruption to your work should you work digitally and nomadically. As I have mentioned before also make sure they have password to get into so even if they are stolen no one can access your content. A few years ago my camera broke while travelling and recently my other camera was stole and it can cause real hassle but investing in decent insurance certainly helps to ease the stress of it all.

If your looking for more tips on I have also written about keeping your kids safe while online and also how to stay connected while travelling

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