Well I just returned from my annual trip to the shore and boy was it hot. Other then the time my MyFi took a dip in the pool with me I know I was summertime safe. Here are more tips for those of your about to embark on a summer vacation.
Don't Tell People When Your House is EmptyYes, I know. Everyone does it, including me. Just before people leave, they check in from the airport, post about how they are on their way to "four days on the beach!" or a similar message. Avoid doing this unless you are very confident that only your friends read your posts.... and that your home is secure.
If you must post updates of all the fun you are having every day on Facebook, then please, make sure you are using the privacy controls. Make sure only your real friends and trusted contacts can see your posts. We will be discussing this specifically during our next technology training class!
Be Alert for Rogue WirelessDon't just hop on and off free public wireless networks without thinking. You may think the wireless network belongs to the hotel or the airport but it may easily be a rogue network. If you need to get online while you are out and about, invest in a 3G dongle for mobile broadband, or use your smartphone's tethering capabilities. This is what I had, that took a swim with me!
3G and 4G is not perfect, but it's much more secure than wireless.
Backup Your DeviceIf you are taking a laptop or mobile device on your vacation, back it up first. You don't want to lose all your contacts, photos, and files just because you accidentally lost it or left it on the plane. It's also a good idea to have your photos automatically uploaded to the cloud through services such as iCloud & Skydrive.
Don't Let Your Device Out of SightTry to keep your device with you. If you have your laptop with you, consider using the room safe instead of leaving it on the desk while you are out. You don't want to take the chance of it being stolen or have someone use it without your knowledge. Also make sure to at least lock the screen and have a strong password if your computer/mobile device is not going to be in the hotel safe.
Install Device Protection
For smartphones and tablets, install anti-theft and mobile device management before you leave for your trip. Find My iPhone and its Android counterparts help you find the device if you lose it. And if you don't think you will get it back, then you can send the command to remotely wipe the data.
You can also install similar software on laptops.
Update EverythingUpdate your software, operating system, and security tools before you leave. You don't want to be hit with a malware attack while you are on the road.
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