There are many legitimate reasons to protect your privacy, whether you have sensitive information that you need to keep to yourself, business or professional obligations, or simply a strong preference to stay off the radar. You might have perfectly structured privacy frameworks at home or at your business, but if you plan on traveling, you may not have access to them.
There are certain areas of privacy that will not be available to you if you choose to travel. For example, if you want to fly, you'll probably need to show multiple forms of identification. But there are other strategies that can help you stay private, secure, and safe even while traveling around the world.
Key Considerations
There are a few main considerations you'll need to bear in mind:
With respect to these areas, make sure you adhere to the following:
Don’t Share Content on Social Media
First and foremost, resist the urge to share any content on social media about your travel plans. Announcing that you're about to take a vacation could be a massive signal to criminals who might like to exploit that information. Similarly, posting photos of your whereabouts, even incidentally, could help people trace your location. For the most part, it's best to avoid posting about your travels on social media in any capacity.
If you must post about your travels, take some precautions. Tinker with your privacy settings to make sure that undesired parties can't access the information you share, and consider posting content only retroactively. For example, you might only post vacation photos once you're back home.
Simulate Home Residency
Consider simulating home residency so that outside observers believe you're still living at home. Even simple measures, like making sure the lights are on periodically and enlisting the help of someone to gather your mail, can dissuade potential burglars.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi
You'll likely need or want an internet connection while traveling, but you should generally avoid public Wi-Fi. On public Wi-Fi, much of your information transmission will be vulnerable. Instead, invest in secure access, or at least be cautious about what types of information you send on public networks.
Disable Bluetooth Connectivity
As another layer of cyber security, consider disabling Bluetooth connectivity whenever possible. This makes it much harder for cybercriminals to use Bluetooth devices to gain access to your personal devices.
Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) product is designed to provide you with an encrypted, secure connection, regardless of where you are. You may even be able to use it to balance your traffic and mask your genuine location. These tools aren't perfect forms of defense, but they can shield you from certain types of threats.
Keep Your Devices Updated
Always keep your devices up to date, even when you're traveling. Software and hardware updates are often designed to guard against known vulnerabilities, but the only way to gain access to those protections is to download and install the updates themselves.
Keep Your Devices on You at All Times
Similarly, you should keep your devices on you at all times. Don't leave them unattended, even if you feel relatively safe in a public location. Unattended devices are vulnerable devices, and skilled cybercriminals only need a few minutes to do serious damage.
Use Cash When Possible
Consider using cash during your travels, carrying a small amount at a time. It's less convenient, but it's typically anonymous and far more secure.
Consider Changing Your Passwords
You should change your passwords periodically as a matter of course. But it's also a good idea to change your passwords whenever you come back from traveling. This way, if anyone was able to obtain this sensitive information during the course of your travels, you can lock them out of your accounts proactively.
Staying private, secure, and safe while traveling can be difficult, especially if you're not used to following these types of habits. But with ample due diligence and enough attention to detail, you should be able to protect yourself from the most imminent threats.
