Facebook NZ: Travel security tips for Kiwis

Everyone takes vacations now and then, and traveling to a new place with a family can be a maze of bookings, paperwork, checklists, and suitcases.

How do you keep your information secure when traveling?

From updating software, to using a trusted network, to running anti-virus when you get home – Facebook outlines the steps everyone should take.

Here are a few tips that Facebook recommends for traveling safely:

* Update your software:

Before you leave, visit the system menus for each phone, laptop, and tablet that your family plans to bring with you. Update your software to the latest available version, which will help protect you from the latest known threats.

* Set a screen password on each device and encrypt:

No one intends to lose his or her phone or laptop, but it can happen—even if you're careful. Make sure each device has a strong password set so that a stranger can't easily access your information, and encrypt the drive on the device if you can.

* Remove information you don't need:

While we're on the subject, if you store a lot of information on your computer rather than on the web, remove information like sensitive documents that you don't need while you travel.

* Use a network you trust:

Think carefully about when you need to connect and only choose a limited number of networks that you trust. Visit sites that support network encryption known as HTTPS or SSL—most sites like your bank, Facebook, and commerce sites will run this way by default. If you want to be extra cautious, investigate using VPN software to better protect your network communications.

* Run anti-virus when you get home:

We usually think we're done when we get back and unpack, but take a few extra minutes to run an anti-virus scan on your computer to make sure you didn't take any unwanted things back with you from your vacation!

By Mia Garlick, Head of Policy, Facebook New Zealand