Safety during Advent: tips for a carefree holiday season
Advent is a period full of anticipation and reflection, when many of us take the opportunity to visit relatives and friends. It is a time of coming together, of sharing love and warmth.
Important safety tips
But as we prepare for these wonderful moments, we must not neglect one essential element: our safety during the travelling season. In this blog article, we take a look at important safety tips to help you protect your personal data and your loved ones during the festive season.
Public Wi-Fi: A risk
Using public Wi-Fi, especially when travelling, is convenient but carries risks. Such networks can easily be used by hackers for man-in-the-middle attacks. In these attacks, hackers get between your device and the internet connection to intercept data. To protect yourself, avoid insecure public Wi-Fi networks where possible or use a VPN for a secure connection.
Protection through VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is your digital bodyguard when travelling. It hides your online identity and encrypts your internet connection, which is particularly useful if you need to use public Wi-Fi. A VPN ensures that your data remains private and protects against unwanted access.
Back up important documents digitally
If you lose important documents such as passports or visas, this can quickly become a problem. Before travelling, you should upload copies of these documents to a secure, encrypted cloud service. This way, you will always have access to a digital backup in an emergency.
Keep access data safe
Access data for online services should never be stored in plain text. A password manager is secure software that stores and organises all your passwords in encrypted form. (Some authenticator apps and browsers also offer the option of storing passwords and access data). This gives you secure and easy access to your login details from anywhere and allows you to share them securely within the family if necessary.
Be careful when dealing with social media
In the world of social media, we like to share our experiences. But posting your exact location, especially with geotags, can be risky. It can reveal information about your location that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Wait to post until you have left the location or, even better, until you are safely at home.
Share emergency information
Share important emergency information and medically relevant data with trusted people via encrypted services on your smartphone. This allows you to share sensitive data such as insurance information or ID documents securely. You can find information on secure sharing options via your provider.
IT security: a must during the holiday season
The festive season should be a time of joy and peace, not worry about the security of your data. By following these tips, you can relax and focus on travelling and visiting your loved ones.
Checklist for your travel safety
- Public Wi-Fi: Avoid if possible.
- Use a VPN: For secure surfing on the internet.
- Important documents: Back them up digitally.
- Access data: Store securely in a password manager.
- Social media: Be careful when sharing your location.
- Emergency information: Share with people you trust.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your festive season and journey are as safe and worry-free as possible. Happy holidays and safe travelling!
Why Baggenstos?
Baggenstos, a leading IT service provider and Microsoft partner in Switzerland, offers customised security solutions, including network protection, endpoint security and cloud security services to protect data and devices on the move. They also support companies with emergency plans and compliance advice.