Going on a Business Trip? Don’t Make These Data Security Mistakes
A mericans make over 405 million business trips each year, according to statistics from the United States Department of Transportation. On any given day, there are 1.1 million people traveling for business. Most of these people are traveling with their phones, laptop computers, or tablets — sometimes all three! When traveling with your devices, you may worry about your tech getting lost, stolen, or damaged. Very few people realize the security risks of traveling with electronic devices.
This isn’t to suggest that every person working at your hotel is waiting for the opportunity to break into your safe, but it does highlight the glaring security flaw. In that same “Leader’s Edge” interview, Holtzman
described what’s called an evil maid attack: “Figuratively, if a maid in a hotel gets five minutes with your computer, you’re screwed. There isn’t a computer in the world that a good hacker couldn’t crack if they get their hands on it for five minutes with nobody looking.” Five minutes is all it takes to install malware that records your data and passwords and sends it to unsavory parties. Say No to Free Wi-Fi Free Wi-Fi has been called one of the biggest scams in the world. When you connect to free Wi-Fi in an airport, coffee shop, or a hotel, you are giving the software permission to access your device in exchange for internet access. Once you’re connected, that Wi-Fi program also has access to anything you type or view on your device. Many people exploit this by creating a fake Wi-Fi network in public places and collecting people’s data once they connect. One device commonly used to run this scam is called a Pineapple, and it’s totally legal in the United States. Someone could go into a Starbucks, turn on their Pineapples, create a Wi-Fi network called “Starbucks Guest Wi-Fi 2.” Everyone around will see that network and assume it’s another Starbucks Wi-Fi. Those
In the January/February 2019 issue of “Leader’s Edge,” security expert David Holtzman shared a story about how his attempt to keep his data secure while visiting China: “When I went to Beijing this year, I took a second laptop with me. I scrubbed the laptop before I did anything with it. I formatted it, reinstalled the operating system, didn’t put anything personal on it. Everything I needed that was personal I kept on an encrypted hard drive I could plug in when needed. When I got back, I tested the laptop, and it had at least three malware programs that had been installed by somebody at some point while I was in Beijing.” If a data security expert can’t keep his technology safe, what hope is there for everyone else? Even if you aren’t traveling internationally, there are plenty of security risks you face right here in the United States. Here are the two biggest threats to your data security while you’re on the road. Hotel Safes Are Anything But
“Even if you aren’t traveling internationally, there are plenty of security risks you face right here in the United States.”
who connect to this network will have access to the internet, while unknowingly letting everything they type pass through the Pineapple. This includes every work email sent or banking password typed in to access an account. These are two of the most common data security mistakes people make while traveling, but they’re only the tip of the iceberg. If you can’t leave your devices at home, never leave them unsupervised, bring a personal hotspot with you, and practice common sense.
Hotel safes are a terrible place to store your valuables, especially your tech. Considering how often guests forget the combo to their room safe, the hotel needs to be able to unlock these safes quickly. All safes have a master key code to unlock them, and about half of the hotel staff know what those codes are. Some safes even have a small hole in the back where a person can insert a paperclip and cause the door to open.
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