05/18

As we gear up for summer travel – whether it’s a getaway with the family or a business conference – ignoring the advice in this post could put a damper on those plans. Yes, we wish you a safe and relaxing trip, but there’s one group who doesn’t ever take a vacation: Cybercriminals.  

Let’s start with phone and Wi-Fi safety.

• Turn on password protection for all your devices. Whether it’s a passcode or a security feature, this creates an extra level of safety in case of the worst. In addition, you should back up your files from your laptop and phone before you leave, just in case your devices get stolen or lost.
• Enable the “find my phone” feature on your devices, so you can find and remotely wipe your phone’s data. You’ll also be able to disable the device if need be. 
• Don’t log onto accounts that have sensitive or personal information when you’re on public Wi-Fi. This means no checking your bank account while on an open connection. In fact, you may want to consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or a personal/mobile hotspot for the level of security you can trust.  
• While we all love seamless connections, enable your device to ask permission before automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network. 

Bonus! Here are a couple of extra travel tips we think you should know. 

• Let your IT department know you’ll be traveling. This is especially helpful if you’re working on something important. And make sure your antivirus software is good to go.
• Keeping your software up to date is normally a great piece of advice, but vacation isn’t the time to install them. Wait until you’re back on a secure network since some “updates” may include malware in disguise. (Or even better, update before you go.) 

Finally, we’ll leave you with this last tip. It may seem a little extra, but we never joke around with passwords, and neither should you. 

• Change any passwords you expect to use while traveling before you leave, and then change them again when you return.

Our teams can’t wait to hear about all your summer adventures next time we see you, and we’re always committed to helping protect you, no matter where you are. Thank you for trusting us with your residential and commercial transactions.