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Advice for travelers

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR TRIP



BE A CYBERSAFE TRAVELLER!

When you are about to travel, the security of your personal and professional information should be a priority. By taking your computer, mobile phone and/or tablet with you, even if it is from work, you may be neglecting cyber security issues because these devices allow data exchange. Much of the data stored is confidential and belongs to your organisation. The loss or theft of this information has negative consequences for your business. When travelling abroad, there are measures in place to protect your mobile devices from risks and threats.

In public places such as cafes, hotels, offices, ports, and airports you can access the internet at wireless access points (wi-fi), sometimes free of charge, which are accessible to everyone and where there is no guarantee of confidentiality of the information stored. Attackers who want to steal information can establish these access points, to appear reliable, and by using one of these networks can compromise your data. It is known that there are countries that monitor our data when we establish a connection to the local network.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

  • 1 - KNOW AND RESPECT YOUR ORGANISATION'S INFORMATION SECURITY RULES - Find out what the technical recommendations are from someone in the technical or information systems department.
  • 2 - LEARN ABOUT THE DIGITAL DATA LEGISLATION OF YOUR DESTINATION - You are subject to the laws governing intellectual property, digital information and encrypted data in the countries you visit. Check if the Consulate Offices have additional information. For instance: about the use of encrypted data, local government control of data, access to local networks and wi-fi, digital assets, document format, actions for the use of digital material.
  • 3 - CONFIRM THAT YOU HAVE UP-TO-DATE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE ON YOUR DEVICES - Antivirus should be up to date and working to protect yourself from malicious software that can infect your devices.
  • 4 - UPDATE THE APPLICATIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED BY YOUR DEVICES' OPERATING SYSTEMS - These updates allow you to correct security errors and vulnerabilities
  • 5 - INSTALL THE APPLICATIONS AND PERIPHERALS THAT YOU WILL NEED ON YOUR TRIP - This way you won't have to buy them in your destination country.
  • 6 - CLEAR YOUR BROWSER'S HISTORY AND COOKIES ON ALL DEVICES - If you connect to a public wi-fi network, history and cookies are easily accessed and may have information that can be used in fake transactions.
  • 7 - INFORM YOUR ORGANISATION THAT YOU ARE TAKING YOUR CREDIT CARD ON YOUR TRIP - By informing your company and bank of your credit card ownership, travel dates and locations, these entities can be on the lookout for any suspicious transactions.
  • 8 - RESORT TO KNOWN TRAVEL AGENCIES AND AVOID DISCOUNT SITES TO BOOK ACTIVITIES IN THE DESTINATION COUNTRY - There are websites that can be set up to steal confidential information. If you make a booking or transaction online, use a secure payment entity (e.g. PayPal) to ensure your credit card and personal information remains safe.
  • 9 - TAKE THE DEVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR TRIP - Electronic devices, external disks and USB drives should not contain information beyond what you need for your trip.
  • 10 - AVOID POSTING TRAVEL PLANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA - By not posting about your trip, attackers will find it difficult to know the best time to attack digitally
  • 11 - BACK UP YOUR FILES ON ANOTHER DEVICE AND PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE OR STORE THE FILES IN THE CLOUD - In case of loss, theft, or seizure of equipment you will be able to recover your information when you return from your trip
  • 12 - AVOID EXPOSING CONFIDENTIAL DATA AND REMOVE CONFIDENTIAL DATA FROM DEVICES - If possible, access your professional entity's network through a secure connection or via the e-mail service where the data is encrypted.
  • 13 - USE AUTHENTICATION MECHANISMS TO ACCESS YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - You can work on your documents in appropriate places that are not accessible visually or by third party copying.
  • 14 - IDENTIFY YOUR DEVICES - Apply a coloured label to or write your name on a visible part of your device to avoid swapping. You can set your computer with your name and local address to be returned if someone finds it.
  • 15 - ENABLE DEVICE LOCK OPTION WHEN ENTERING AN INCORRECT PASSWORD TOO OFTEN - If you lose your device, you will only lose your data if the erase all data option is turned on when a password is entered too many times.
  • 16 - ACTIVATE THE REMOTE LOCKING, AUTO-LOCATING AND ANTI-THEFT SOFTWARE OPTIONS - If you have equipment with these options, make sure they are activated.

WHILE TRAVELLING

  • 1 - KEEP YOUR DEVICES UNDER SURVEILLANCE - While travelling, carry your devices in your hand luggage, including SIM card and battery. Don't leave them in the office or conference room and put them in the hotel room safe. Even when they are charging battery and if you are around, information can be compromised.
  • 2 - IF YOU HAVE TO PART WITH YOUR DEVICES, REMOVE THE SIM CARD AND, IF POSSIBLE, THE BATTERY - The card may contain personal and professional data that is confidential.
  • 3 - USE PASSWORDS TO PROTECT ACCESS TO YOUR DEVICES - Use secure passwords to access your devices and check your employer's password policies.. Lock your device using keyboard shortcuts (e.g. pressing the Windows logo + L keys simultaneously)
  • 4 - CLEAR YOUR CALL, LOG AND WEB PAGE HISTORY - You should clear memory data, passwords to access websites, and temporary files.
  • 5 - USE DIFFERENT PASSWORDS AND PINS - A good way to set up a password is to combine three or four related words to create a code that is not common. Add numbers and special characters.
  • 6 - DO NOT CONNECT YOUR EQUIPMENT TO UNTRUSTED WORKSTATIONS OR COMPUTER PERIPHERALS - Beware of exchanging documents on USB memory sticks during events. If you use a Pen for exchanging information, dispose of the unit after use.
  • 7 - INFORM YOUR ORGANISATION IN CASE OF INSPECTION OR SEIZURE BY THE AUTHORITIES - Provide passwords and encrypted data if you have to do so to the local authorities.
  • 8 - IF EQUIPMENT OR INFORMATION IS LOST OR STOLEN, INFORM YOUR ORGANISATION - Ask the Consulate Post for advice before any approach to the local authorities.
  • 9 - WHEN USING YOUR WI-FI, MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN A SAFE PLACE - Attackers know how to use open wi-fi connections to access other devices on the network.
  • 10 - KEEP YOUR WI-FI AND BLUETOOTH TURNED OFF WHEN YOU ARE NOT USING YOUR DEVICE - When you're not connected to the internet, you can save battery life and can help keep your devices protected from attackers.
  • 11 - DO NOT CONNECT YOUR DEVICE TO AN UNKNOWN USB FLASH DRIVE - Any device that plugs into a USB port can be considered a device that stores malicious software.
  • 12 - AVOID USING STORAGE DEVICES (CDS OR DVDS) ON YOUR COMPUTER - These devices may contain malicious software that automatically reads the content.
  • 13 - USE ENCRYPTION SOFTWARE WHILE TRAVELLING - Do not communicate confidential information by telephone contact or by voice transmission (VoIP services, Skype, FaceTime)
  • 14 - DO NOT CHARGE YOUR EQUIPMENT ON PUBLIC TERMINALS - Some terminals may be used to copy data and documents without your consent..
  • 15 - SWITCH OFF YOUR DEVICE IF YOU ARE IN A HIGH-RISK LOCATION - Convention and protest venues are vulnerable to our information being compromised.
  • 16 - DO NOT PASS ON INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD NOT LIKE TO DISCLOSE TO UNAUTHORISED PERSONS - Confirm the name of your internet access connection before you log on as any information you send can be intercepted over an unknown network
  • 17 - DISABLE YOUR BLUETOOTH NETWORK WHILE TRAVELLING TO AVOID FALSE CONNECTION ATTEMPTS - Be careful when exchanging data with other users. Some devices allow an automatic connection with other Bluetooth networks without any authorisation.
  • 18 - AVOID CHARGING YOUR DEVICE ON EQUIPMENT YOU DO NOT CONTROL - Malicious software may be stored on an unknown equipment and transferred to your device. Use your computer or a direct plug to charge another device.

BEFORE RETURNING FROM YOUR TRIP

  • 1 - TRANSFER YOUR DATA TO YOUR ORGANISATION'S NETWORK OVER A SECURE CONNECTION - Otherwise, use your inbox to receive encrypted files (which will be deleted on your return). Then delete them from your device securely with the software provided for this purpose.
  • 2 - CLEAR YOUR CALL AND WEB BROWSING HISTORY - Including third country roaming terminals (mobile phone and tablet) from your computer.

AFTER YOUR TRIP

  • 1 - CHANGE THE PASSWORDS YOU USED DURING YOUR TRIP - They may have been intercepted without your knowledge.
  • 2 - CHECK YOUR DEVICES - Don't connect devices to your network before you have at least an antivirus and anti-spyware test performed.
  • 3 - CLEAR YOUR BROWSER HISTORY, COOKIES, AND OTHER TEMPORARY DATA FROM YOUR DEVICES - When clearing browsers browsing history (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox) from computers and mobile devices it allows you to leave no sign of your actions.
  • 4 - RUN YOUR ANTIVIRUS ON ALL THE DEVICES YOU TOOK ON THE TRIP - Running antivirus allows security errors to be detected and it is even possible to eliminate viruses.
Last updated on 15-07-2022