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Tips to Protect Your Data While Traveling Abroad

Laptop user in a cafe

Whether you are traveling abroad or working online, you need to ensure your sensitive data is protected from cybercriminals.

With growing concerns about the potential for cybercrime, you may want to consider taking some proactive steps to protect the data that is so important to you.

Read on for our essential tips for protecting yourself while traveling abroad.

Hide your IP address

Don’t let cyber-criminals take advantage of your online identity!

Your IP address is not hidden from the websites you visit, putting your data at risk for identity theft and your computer for spam and even viruses.

Also, your internet service provider (ISP) can see what you do online if your IP address is not hidden.

ISP’s can save your passwords and sell them to the highest bidder if you aren’t careful.

Why you need to hide your IP address when traveling

A hidden IP is a unique address that allows you to browse the web without anyone knowing your real address. It’s simple, fast, and easy to use.

Nobody will be able to track your new location after traveling since it will be hidden too.

Always get the privacy you deserve with a hidden IP address. You can stay private while you browse the internet.

For your data protection when traveling, use a VPN. First, a VPN service can help you stay anonymous and can protect your privacy. When using the internet, it is quite possible to identify you based on 3 things.

These can include your location, your internet provider, and the device you are using to get online (e.g. IP Address).

A VPN service allows you to mask or change these three identifying features of your activity so that others cannot determine what you are doing online.

Installing a good antivirus program

Antivirus software will do a great job at protecting your computer from danger while traveling.

It can detect and eliminate viruses that can destroy or damage your files and safeguard the important data you've worked so hard to accumulate.

Here are the features to look for in a good antivirus program.

Malware protection

The internet is full of malware that has been designed to steal important information, like credit card numbers, social security numbers, usernames, and passwords.

It’s a serious threat, one that you don’t have time to waste dealing with. Use antivirus software to protect your devices against malware.

When looking for one, make sure that it can detect and remove all kinds of malware such as ransomware, adware, Trojans, spyware, to name a few.

Email protection

Don’t let annoying and potentially dangerous emails infiltrate your inbox. The best antivirus software will let you enjoy a clean inbox for your home or small business email accounts.

An antivirus program that offers email protection lets you know if any email is harmful to your computer before you download it, preventing anything that you don’t want from getting in.

Ransomware protection

You need ransomware protection to protect your data while traveling. Ransomware is malware that installs itself into your computer system, encrypts your files, and asks for ransom money to give you access to your computer.

You can be protected against ransomware. Download the best antivirus software with ransomware protection to protect yourself from data loss.

Create strong passwords for your online accounts

Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, and Dropbox passwords that are easy to guess may be costing you $100 a year per account. Brute-force password hacking doesn’t need human intelligence.

Password crackers can try every word in the dictionary in a few minutes. Don’t be one of the four million people who get hacked. Create strong passwords to protect your data when traveling.

Here are the rules to follow when creating strong passwords:

  • Strong passwords are the first line of defense against cyber-attacks. 
  • Combining 8-12 characters that include numbers, upper and lower case letters, and special characters like punctuation marks is a good start.
  • Add in a few random words for more complexity.

Use a password manager

Using a password manager is essential when trying to create a secure online identity.

This helps you manage different login information types and makes sure that your passwords are strong enough to withstand cyber threats.

It will help you create a strong password when you need to make one, keep your passwords organized and prevent you from reusing the same ones across multiple accounts, which is a big security risk.

Do not use public Wi-Fi

When traveling, you might be tempted to use public Wi-Fi.

There are many dangers of using public/open Wi-Fi; identity theft, viruses, hackers, scam artists, malware, and more pose a significant risk to you and your personal information.

If you have to use a public Wi-Fi, use a VPN. A VPN provides privacy and security by using encryption and a secure tunnel to send data from one’s computer to another network.

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This story is brought to you in partnership with VSS Monitoring.

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