Tips and tricks when traveling with personal devices
July 31, 2023 – Defence Stories
Technology holds a prominent place in our everyday life, so much so that it's often easy to overlook the threats that can be attached to it. Traveling abroad with personal devices such as cellphones, tablets or laptops is not without risk. Customs checkpoints, hotels, large-scale events are all potential hotspots that could put your sensitive personal information at risk through your personal devices.
Before embarking on your vacation, we highly recommend you do your part by reading the tips and tricks depicted in the infographic below. This will ensure that you travel with your personal devices securely and safeguard your information effectively.
Infographic - Text version
Travelling with personal devices
Tips and Tricks
- Power off all devices while going through customs or other inspections points.
- Empty your Trash and clear your browser history after each use by deleting history files, caches, cookies, URLs, and temporary internet files.
- Be aware of your surroundings and who might be able to view your screen or keyboard.
- Do not use the ‘remember me’ feature on websites; retype your password every time.
- Do not use public Wi-Fi networks.
- Do not open e-mails, attachments or click on links from unknown sources.
- Change the passwords on your devices and on any online services you accessed while abroad.
- Verify if a location is considered high risk locations as defined by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
Provide physical protection:
- Have a positive control on your devices.
- Protect your passwords.
- Don't keep your mobile phone in your back pocket, rather store in a crossbody bag.
- Don’t use your mobile phone while traveling at night as the screen’s light is very bright and may result in a robbery.
After Travel
- Check your devices for signs of hacking, such as unauthorised access or the installation of malware/spyware.
- Continually monitor your mobile device for any suspicious activity.
Some items to consider using:
- A Faraday bag, depending on the quality, may completely block all wireless signals and keeps small electronic devices shielded to prevent hacking.
- Virtual Private Network (VPN).
For more information: Using cellphones, mobile devices and computers abroad - Travel.gc.ca
