Far from the daily grind, with your feet in the sand and your phone in your hand, holidays are a time to unwind. But beware, cybercriminals never take a break! Here are a few tips to protect your personal data before and during your holiday.
1. Before you leave: prepare your cyber security as you would your suitcase
· Make a full backup
Before you leave, take the time to make a backup copy of your devices (smartphone, tablet, computer). If they are lost, stolen or break down, you will have a copy of your photos, messages and important documents.
- Use a secure external hard drive or a trusted cloud service (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, etc.).
- Check that the backup is complete and recent.
· Update your devices
Updates fix security flaws that can be exploited by cybercriminals.
- Update the operating system and all applications.
- Enable automatic updates if possible.
· Enable location and protection features:
- Enable location services (Find My iPhone, Find My Android).
- Enable remote data deletion.
- Lock your devices with a strong password, fingerprint or facial recognition.
2. On site: free Wi-Fi, caution advised
· Avoid unsecured public networks
Free Wi-Fi in hotels, cafés and airports is convenient, but also very vulnerable. Hackers can intercept what you type (passwords, credit card details, etc.).
- Avoid sensitive connections on these networks (shopping, banking, social media).
- Use your mobile network or 4G/5G connection sharing instead.
- If you really must use public Wi-Fi, use a reliable VPN (Virtual Private Network), which encrypts your data.
· Disable automatic Wi-Fi
Your smartphone can automatically connect to networks it has already used... even if they are fraudulent.
- Disable automatic Wi-Fi connection in your settings.
- Only enable Wi-Fi when you need it.
3. Smartphones and apps: stay in control
· Only install the apps you need
When you're on holiday, less is more. Every app can be a gateway for hackers, especially if it comes from a dubious source.
- Only install apps from the official store (Google Play, App Store).
- Delete any apps you don't use.
· Limit permissions
Some apps ask for access to your photos, contacts, location, etc. without a valid reason.
- Check the permissions in your phone's settings.
- Refuse any permissions that are not necessary for the app to function.
Have a great holiday and stay safe!
