Holidays are about coming together and relaxing with friends and family. This is perhaps even more important than ever in the stressful times we’re living in. But though the holiday season is time to chill out, don’t relax your vigilance when it comes to technology, especially when you’re on the move.
Take Care Connecting to the Internet
You’ll probably want to connect to the internet when traveling. In fact, internet access can be essential when you’re away from home. Remember that it’s really important to make sure you have a secure connection. Public wireless networks, like those in hotels and airports, are notoriously unsafe. Your in-house network will have all sorts of protections in place. This doesn’t apply to public wireless networks. It may not always be possible to get onto the internet with a secure connection when you’re away. We recommend using a VPN (virtual private network), which creates an encrypted channel between your device and your office network if you’re working on the move.
You may be familiar with commercially available VPNs that are advertised widely, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN and TunnelBear. These can be useful when traveling because they do encrypt your data – but they’re not designed for business use. A generic VPN will offer some protection when using public networks, but you get what you pay for, and that protection is limited. Free VPN services are also not ideal because they may store information about you, even if they say they don’t.
Protect Against Lost Devices
The chances of theft or losing a portable device are always increased when you’re moving around. After all, it’s not uncommon for luggage to go missing after a flight, for example. To secure your data, you should take some simple measures to protect against this possibility. There are two things you can do easily: use multi-factor authentication and enable location services. The first will stop anyone who finds or steals the device from accessing data, while the second will help you find a device if you misplace it.
Make Sure You Have a Data Backup
One way of dealing with lost and stolen devices is remote wiping of data so there’s no question of it falling into the wrong hands. If you have to do that, then the data is gone. You need to make sure you have a backup copy in case of theft or misplaced luggage. This is always a good idea, since there are many scenarios other then theft and loss that can lead to data loss. It’s always best to be prepared, and a backup will mean you’re never left high and dry.
Wherever you’re going, remember that Quikteks is always here to help. Follow our blog this holiday season, so you’re on top of tech problems that may crop up. If you are looking for advice that’s tailored to your needs, we’ll happily answer your questions. We can also advise on how your business can implement a high-quality VPN, so your staff will have a secure connection when they connect to your network. Call us at (973) 882-4644.