Page 36 - Cyber Warnings
P. 36
3. Disneyland in Paris
4. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco
5. Ocean Park in Hong Kong
Certain countries are also more noted for malware and identity theft, particularly China, Russia,
most of the Middle East, and France. Just don't become passive outside of these places, because
mobile security breaches can occur anytime, anywhere, even in your own backyard.
Watch Out for Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is insecure by nature. Hotspots are often set up by cyber criminals in hopes of lulling
travelers into a false sense of security so that they will share corporate or personal data or
passwords over the network, which is then stolen and used for nefarious purposes by the criminal.
Don't assume that Wi-Fi is safe just because you pay for it.
Public Wi-Fi is easy to hack even when hotels charge $100 for it. If possible, use a VPN. If not,
avoid transmitting data from public hotspots or accessing secure systems, such as your work
network or your bank accounts and credit card companies.
Use a Mobile Threat Defense App
The device you're using, as well as the systems and networks it has access to, need the latest in
threat defense. This is where a mobile threat defense app (such as Skycure) comes in.
This app uses the latest in big data analytics to predict and protect against upcoming threats, as
well as the threats that have already been identified.
A mobile threat defense app doesn't wait for the latest threats to hit the networks before providing
the device and related systems with protection.
Reset Security Settings to Default
Most Android and Apple devices default to pretty good security settings. If you've changed these
while you've owned the device or if you've downloaded apps that changed the settings, reset those
to default before leaving for your trip.
While you're at it, be sure that the operating system and other software is updated to the latest
versions, which will include the most current protection. Avoid downloading apps that aren't
necessary, as many of these are used to track consumers and carry security vulnerabilities that can
be hacked.
If Possible, Sanitize the Device Before Traveling
If data isn't on the device, hackers can't steal it off. The most certain way to protect your sensitive
36 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – January 2016 Edition
Copyright © Cyber Defense Magazine, All rights reserved worldwide