As you’re traveling this summer, you’ll likely be taking a device or two with you — maybe even more. It’s important to keep an eye on your electronics and keep your connectivity secure at all times. Better Business Bureau offers several cybersecurity tips to help you protect your information and your electronic devices while you’re traveling abroad.
Only take what you need. Do you need your cell phone, tablet and your laptop? It’s best to limit yourself to the bare necessities when possible, since any devices you take with you will need looking after.
Be careful about how you charge up. Portable chargers or wall outlets are preferable if you need to charge your device in a public space like a coffee shop or an airport.
Avoid connecting directly into a public USB port, which brings the risk of “juice jacking.” This happens when someone fraudulently loads malware onto public USB charging stations. They access electronic devices while they are being charged and install malware through the corrupted USB port. This can lock your device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator. Criminals can then use the stolen information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors.
You can plug into a regular electrical outlet without these concerns, or you might consider carrying an external battery or a charge only cable. If you must plug directly into a public USB port and a prompt appears on your device asking you to select “share data,” “trust this computer” or “charge only,” always select “charge only.”