Keep Mobile Devices Safe So You Can Wander Wisely

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You must keep mobile devices safe when travelling, given how much we rely on them. Going to a presentation, working as a digital nomad, or just going on holiday, the loss of a phone, laptop, or tablet can be devastating. Here are some handy suggestions to help prevent the unthinkable.

Embrace the Virtues of VPNs

One of the first apps you should consider is a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN has many uses, but the most notable is preventing trackers. They work by connecting to the web via one or more separate networks, making your original location very hard to pinpoint. Some also come with encryption.  You can even use a VPN when your IP has been temporarily blocked for whatever reason. This often happens in locations with geographical restrictions when travelling.

Keep Mobile Devices Safe from Public USBs

Do we ever have enough juice in our devices? We’ve all been there, and it’s no fun to see your final bar of power blinking away when you need your device. You may be tempted to use public USB charging points to keep your device ready for use. These can be helpful, but they are fraught with risk. Around 1 in 7 people have had data stolen when travelling, and USB charging points are part of the issue as hackers can hijack them to steal data from connected devices.

Secure Your Devices with a Good Bag

Securing data is always a good idea when travelling. But the devices themselves also must be secured. So how do you do this? It is pretty helpful to keep your phone in a zipped pocket, preferably at your front or inside your jacket. This way, nobody can steal it from you. A reliable laptop bag like a BANGE anti-theft backpack helps keep larger devices safe. Many of these also come with internal pockets and are fitted for chargers and other devices, such as tablets.

Use Apps to Keep Mobile Devices Safe

There’s an app for everything these days. Most are useless, but there are some extra handy ones for travel safety and security. Here are some you can consider when venturing out:

• LastPass offers password encryption to store your credentials for multiple sites.

• GeoSure provides information about areas you are warned not to travel to.

• Smart Traveler provides information about risky countries, such as entry requirements.

• TripWhistle contains emergency contact data about the country you are touring.

• Signal lets you communicate using encrypted messaging to keep data private.

Password managers are as useful as you might think, and they can prevent access to privileged data if your device is stolen. You can also stay safe by staying within recommended areas.

Install Device Tracking Software

For all your efforts, there is still a chance that your device or backpack will be stolen. When this happens, you may never recover them. However, there are some tracking devices you can use. Some are internal hardware, and others rely on software. These can help find your device should the worst happen. You can even use trackers that will record someone using your device through the internal camera so they can’t deny it was them if a case is brought against them.

Keep Mobile Devices Safe with Backups

There are a few reasons why someone will steal your devices. Some will just sell them for quick cash, others will use them for themselves, and malicious people will use them for data theft. The latter is by far the worst because of what can happen. 76% of the world’s best IT leaders had critical data loss in 2022. If it can happen to them, it can happen to you! Always backup your data so you can restore what you need and change vital access credentials such as passwords.

Be Careful with Public Wi-Fi

Like public USB charging, public Wi-Fi can be very useful. However, also like public USB, public Wi-Fi is used to monitor for victims and steal unsecured data by malicious criminals. They will then sell your data on the dark web for numerous nefarious purposes. But you don’t have to make it easy for them. If you need to use public Wi-Fi, always make sure you connect using a VPN. This can hide your device from anyone actively looking for victims on the public network.

Summary

VPNs are essential to keep mobile devices safe when travelling. There are also many apps you can use for digital safety, such as LastPass, to store encrypted passwords. Using a VPN will help keep your data safe when using public Wi-Fi or when you need to charge via a public USB.