Internet Safety Month: 7 tips for staying safe online while on vacation

Going on vacation has never been more talked about and anticipated. I mean—for many of us, it’s been a while.

But before you get lost in dreamy thoughts of sun, sea, and sand, you might want to set aside some time to plan on how to keep your devices, and your data, safe while you are relaxing

Your devices need some prepping, too

Before anything else, know which devices you’ll bring and which ones you’ll leave at home. Then make backups of the files in them.

This is also the perfect time to look deeper into what’s on your devices, especially if you haven’t done any spring cleaning due to busyness. So update those apps that need updating and uninstall those that waste space; scan your devices with a trusty malware scanner, and change any duplicate passwords. Then follow these tips:

7 security and privacy tips that fit in your pocket

Ensure your devices have the “Find My Device” feature enabled. This feature isn’t just limited to Apple products, and can really help if you lose your device. You can remotely wipe a device if you lose it or even put a message on the screen with contact details in case it is found.

Be mindful of seasonal scams. Such scams may arrive via email, SMS, or social media. If a service offers rates that are too good to be true, asks for an upfront fee, or demands payments to be wired, avoid it.

Use 2FA. Make sure you lock your accounts behind two-factor authentication (2FA). This additional security measure makes them harder to compromise should someone get hold of your login details.

Turn off Bluetooth connectivity. Many people forget Bluetooth is there. As a rule of thumb, remove it if you don’t use it. But if you can’t, disable it when it’s not in use.

Leave your device in the hotel’s safe. Hotel safes are there to keep anything of value safe. This includes your devices. When you’re not using a device, keep it in the safe—and remember the pin code!

Refrain from posting on social media about your vacation. This is good practice before you leave as well. You don’t want people knowing that your home will be empty, so save posting about your getaway until you are back home.

Feel free to use a VPN. Hotel and airport Wi-Fi is safer now than years ago, thanks to HTTPS everywhere. But if you still can’t shake the feeling of being “exposed,” use a VPN you trust. Malwarebytes has one.