Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of today’s mind-boggling array of technology is the need to be increasingly vigilant to online attack from a never-ending line up of “faceless bad guys” wanting to do us, and our financial assets, as much damage as they can inflict.
We have been warned so many times from many sources, with the result we are, for good reason, distrustful, disbelieving and downright cynical when we go online.
If the danger of online attack is a very worrying aspect of modern life when we are in the relative safety of our home, with all the online protection we can muster, the danger multiplies at least a hundred-fold when we travel, particularly overseas.
This post can never provide the most up to date, all encompassing, well researched list of protections for your cyber safety when you travel. There are many expert opinions available via a little effort on Google.
The primary purpose of this post is to implore you to put as much time into researching and implementing online security protections, as you have with itinerary planning and hotel deals.
However, in this and following posts, we will at least provide a list of topics to be considered so that your holiday experience is not soured by a cyber attack when you are at your most relaxed, and vulnerable.
1. Inviting home break-ins via social media.
No one would ever erect a large, well lit sign in their front garden announcing “This home is unattended for the next three weeks”. The risk of a passer-by accepting your invitation to break in would make this foolhardy in the extreme. And yet, we continue to see such announcements every day on social media, with a potential audience many times greater than physical passers-by. Not only are the travel plans of the happy holiday-makers initially detailed for friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends to see, there are regular updates in case the bad guys didn’t see the initial post.
And it is vital to ensure younger family members get the email prohibiting such online disclosures, unless you would enjoy hosting, in your absence, an open invitation party in your lounge room or around your pool. No BYO – everything provided, including post-party accommodation.