As the temperatures across the region rise, thousands of us are taking the opportunity to escape the summer heat – whether with a staycation, a visit to reconnect with loved ones in our home countries, or a long-haul adventure. These days, most travellers are naturally more vigilant of pickpockets and tourist scams. But what about those cybercriminals who never take a vacation? The experts at Cisco share their tips for cyber-safer travel.
“In today’s digital age, technology provides us with unprecedented opportunities to make the most of our time away from home. Unfortunately, criminals can ruin what should be a fun time,” warns Fady Younes, Managing Director for Cybersecurity at Cisco Middle East & Africa. “Being aware of common attacks and ways of preventing them helps us enjoy our vacations without needing to worry about security.”
Physical Security
Consider the physical security of your devices. A device left at home is less likely to be lost or stolen. If a device is going to travel with you, take a back-up, upload any confidential information to secure storage, and remove it from local storage. Make sure that you have alternative access to critical functionality. For example, can you access two-factor authentication requests if your phone is lost or stolen?
When travelling, keep your devices securely out of sight. Be aware of your surroundings – thieves are adept at snatching devices in busy areas and spiriting them away when attentions are elsewhere.
Public WiFi Networks vs 4G/5G
When travelling, there is always the temptation to save on data roaming charges by joining public WiFi networks. However, it may be worth considering paying the extra tariffs to keep your data safe. If you do connect to WiFi, use a VPN to enhance security.
Shared public networks provide an ideal hunting ground for attackers, or an apparently free-to-use network may be a malicious decoy set up to dupe the unwary. A dubious character snooping a network can steal cookies or session tokens to gain access to your confidential services. Network traffic from financial or private apps can be intercepted or modified. Alternatively, a cybercriminal may create a man-in-the-middle attack to impersonate a key system and steal your credentials.
Hotel Rooms and Home Rental
We all want to be comfortable in our surroundings and find a home away from home while travelling. However, when it comes to security and privacy, it’s worth applying a few extra precautions while in unfamiliar locations.
Remember to log out of any devices, such as smart TVs, and not to store any credentials. Otherwise, subsequent guests may be able to access your accounts.
Be aware that room keys may have been cloned or stolen. Don’t leave valuables or devices unsecured even in a locked accommodation.
Similarly, respectable networks provided for guests may be accessible to malicious actors or may have been tampered with by previous guests to harvest credentials or session tokens.
When booking accommodation, doublecheck that the booking site is genuine and not a cloned site that will take your money without generating a valid booking. Never agree to pay for accommodation outside of the official booking mechanism. You won’t have any recourse to get a refund if the booking is fraudulent.
Festivals and Fan Experience
The summer is always packed full of festivals, sporting events, concerts, and local celebrations. For the most part, these events are full of likeminded people, who are just there to have fun. But it’s always worth keeping in mind the speed at which criminals can swipe devices, upload malware, or extract your data. Be wary of handing your device to a stranger to take photos, or you might be left with just memories.
QR codes are very difficult to validate without following the link. Criminals are known to replace genuine QR codes with fake codes directing you to a malicious site serving up malware. Similarly, any offer which seems too good to be true or which requires parting with personal details may not have your best interests at heart.
Have a Cybersecure Summer
Most trips away are enjoyable and pass without incident. Keep your vacation incident-free by being constantly extra vigilant and alert, keeping your devices fully patched and backed up, and preferably using mobile connections over WiFi.
