Lock for protection of the network in the hands of a businessman on a blurred background.
Conducting business via a smartphone, computer or tablet while traveling for business can be risky, if you’re not employing proper security protocols. It is essential for business travelers to take precautionary steps to reduce those risks and mitigate any potential losses by following specific measures before, during and after the trip.
What to Do Before Departure
According to Verizon’s data breach investigations report, 81% of the hacking-related breaches leveraged either stolen or weak passwords. The key is to make sure all devices have been locked and secured with a strong password or pin. The best practice is to turn off the Bluetooth, disable features like auto-connect and clear the cache files frequently as they can contain sensitive data.
A company’s IT team should always set up security protocols in case of a data breach; and cross-check and verify procedures to avoid emergencies as cybersecurity is gaining more attention than physical security in the business world. Consider installing the latest systems with remote activation and monitoring capabilities.
Preventive Measures for the Road
When on the road, never leave luggage unattended. A staggering 41% of all breaches occur from stolen devices, as reported by Trend Micro. It is best to avoid public Wi-Fi, which is notoriously unsecure. If it’s an emergency and you have to access the internet with public Wi-Fi, stick to pages secured by https.
With the protection of VPN – tunneling, encryption, and authenticated connections – avail security to data while online, making it harder for hackers to snoop around. A privacy screen filter is also a good idea; it will decrease visibility from various angles and restrict others from viewing potentially sensitive content.
What to Do After Returning
Despite applying all the best practices and efforts, the possibility of a data breach during travel remains. Get into the habit of running checkups on all devices after every business trip, to scan for spyware, malware, etc.
Source:CFO Tech Outlook
