The summer travel season is in full swing and many are looking forward to their well-deserved vacation. But while millions of people are excitedly planning and embarking on their travels, cybercriminals are devising tactics to attack and exploit unsuspecting travelers. The prospects of prey are tempting, as potential victims spend far less time on secure networks while on vacation, for example, and are therefore more vulnerable to attack. This makes it all the more important to consider some basic security aspects in order to best protect sensitive data and information. Even simple actions such as using public Wi-Fi in airports, hotels or tourist resorts can lead to devices being hacked. To protect travelers' identities, financial information, sensitive documents and passwords, Keeper Security recommends the following measures:

1) Don't show your location on social media.

Posting on social media is many travelers' favorite activity when visiting a special place. However, publishing your exact location (including geotags) during a visit can be very dangerous because once the location is publicly known, you can be targeted by cybercriminals. Although this may seem unlikely to you as a tourist, criminals who are familiar with the area can find you more easily. If you still want to post something from your vacation, wait until you have moved to a new location. Better yet, save posting it until you get home.

2) Avoid public Wi-Fi.

Even though it's difficult to find reliably secure Wi-Fi when traveling, security should always come first. If possible, you should avoid creating a risky connection to a public Wi-Fi network. The reason: Once a device is connected to public Wi-Fi, attackers can carry out a so-called MITM (man-in-the-middle) attack, which allows them to access your browser or apps and retrieve stored data. As a general rule of thumb: public Wi-Fi networks should always be avoided.

3) Consider using a VPN.

With a Virtual Private Network (VPN) you are protected while traveling, no matter where you log into the Internet from. With a VPN, you can not only protect your online identity and enjoy a secure connection wherever you are, but you can also avoid bandwidth throttling.

4) Upload important documents for security.

Traveling to new and unknown destinations can be quite chaotic. This increases the risk of important documents – such as passports, visas, medical documents, etc. – being stolen or misplaced. By uploading copies of these important documents to a secure password manager, you will always have access to this digital backup in the event that documents are lost or stolen.

5) Never take plain text access data with you when traveling.

When traveling, you always need access data to digital services, such as online banking, tour operators, health insurance companies or communication services. You rarely know all your access data and passwords by heart, which is why they are written down somewhere on digital or manual notes. Under no circumstances should access data be carried on mobile phones, tablets or even handwritten, which anyone who gets their hands on the device or piece of paper can read and use. Store all access data in a secure password manager - ideally one that allows selected access data to be shared, for example within the family.

6) Share emergency information with a trusted source.

Take security a step further and share important information with trusted people such as family or friends to ensure they have access in an emergency. Use an encrypted service like One Time Share to share insurance information or identification documents securely and for a limited time with a trusted person. This allows your confidant to provide assistance in the event of a medical or other emergency without having to reveal sensitive information via email, text or messaging.

Don't let hackers ruin your vacation! If you follow these six tips on your trip, you can be very confident that you don't have to worry about cybercriminal activity.

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