Whether your online data is locked down may be the last thing on your mind as you rush through the airport checking departure times and work emails.
Add in coronavirus worries and “we can expect that travelers are highly distracted and will let their guard down,” Daryl Crockett, CEO of ValidDatum, a data management and cybersecurity company, said.
Hackers have advanced tactics to prey on victims online, and a fraudulent airport WiFi connection is only one of the ways in which they trap travelers. Hank Schless, senior manager of security solutions at the cybersecurity company Lookout, points out that we may have been taught to install protections like anti-virus software on our computers, but our personal devices remain vulnerable – and a preferred entry point for cybercriminals.
“They leverage the trust we have in these devices against us and know that they’re a treasure trove of personal and corporate data,” Schless said.
Here are seven ways travelers can protect themselves against hackers.
The public WiFi we often rely on away from home can be filled with cybersecurity land mines. Places with lingering travelers – like airports, train stations and coffee shops – can be prime targets.
“While many airports offer free WiFi connectivity, you should make sure you’re joining the real, official network from the airport and not a lookalike network that is set up to lure travelers into giving up their usernames and passwords,” Jeff Sakasegawa, trust and safety…
