The Solution for Securing Private Data while Traveling on a Business Trip

In recent years, various cyber attacks have exposed the sensitive data of businesses. For example, the 2021 Facebook breach compromised the personal data of 533 million users across 106 countries, including phone numbers, locations, birthdates, email addresses, and more.

Losing your business data can have serious repercussions, especially if you are working on an important project or confidential client information. Hence, the solution for securing private data while traveling is using a network that boosts your data security.  

Here are six essential yet simple tips that will help you ensure data privacy while traveling:

Be extra cautious while using public Wi-Fi

Cafes, hotels, libraries, airports, parks, and public spaces generally have free Wi-Fi that anybody can access, which tempts business travelers into using it. 

However, using public/free Wi-Fi makes your device susceptible to cyberattacks as they are unencrypted. According to a study by Kaspersky Labs, 24.7% of Wi-Fi hotspots globally don’t use encryption, leaving users’ sensitive data vulnerable to data leaks. 

In this case, the solution for securing private data while traveling over a public network is using an authorized Virtual Private Network (VPN service). A VPN can help you protect data while traveling by securing your identity and browsing activities from hackers.

When you connect to the internet via a VPN service, it transmits your data through a virtual tunnel. This prevents other people from spying on your activity. It also helps secure your network, provides data safety, prevents data throttling, hides your private information, and many more.

Lock/password protect all your devices

While traveling on a business trip, your laptop or mobile phone might be stolen. In such a situation, if your devices aren’t locked or password-protected, there is a high chance of data theft.  

Hence to protect data while traveling, ensure your mobile phone, laptop, tablet, etc., are locked and password protected. Most of these devices come with security settings that enable you to lock the device using a PIN or a fingerprint in a few seconds. If any of your devices get stolen or hacked, this will act as a barrier against security violations and data theft. 

Backup your data

Data backup can get quite tedious and taxing. But, it is better to back up all your business data than regret it later, after it has been compromised or lost. 

Before leaving for your business trip, copy all the files, photos, and other crucial documents into an external hard drive. Preferably, make two copies of each, so even if you delete the business data from the phone or laptop, they are saved on your hard drive. You can also use online backups such as iCloud and Dropbox for storing photos, videos, notes, documents, etc. 

Don’t forget physical security

Not taking care of your devices is one of the biggest travel mistakes you can make while on a business trip. The circumstances are endless when you leave your laptop unattended while traveling, in a cafe, or in a hotel lobby. 

Sometimes, the laptop is the sole carrier of your data because you are working on something private, or you may have forgotten to back up the critical data on the cloud.

In such cases, if someone steals your laptop, he can easily access all your data, putting you and your company at risk.

Here, the solution for securing private data while traveling is to stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings. Anytime you travel domestically or internationally, remember it is your responsibility to keep your business data safe. 

Hence, keep your devices with you all the time or lock them away. If someone steals your device, report it immediately to your manager or the IT department. 

Invest in a good antivirus software

Have you ever faced a situation where your computer or laptop crashed unexpectedly, experienced slow performance, lost files, or constant browser pop-ups? If your answer is yes, these are the signs of a virus on your device. 

While traveling, business travelers face several points of network security vulnerability, such as Wi-Fi hotspots that can easily download viruses on their systems. This poses a potential threat to all the essential and critical data.  

Investing in a robust antivirus is the solution for securing private data while traveling. It will protect your devices from viruses and other malicious activities. It acts as the first line of defense against hackers and data thieves. It also ensures protection from corrupted or malicious software, phishing attacks, spyware, etc. 

Use secure software solutions

The growing number and the diversity of cyber threats have led to several data breaches that pose an enormous danger to the privacy of individuals and businesses. The apps on your phone collect tons of information, including your unique device ID, location, demographics, etc. This provides insights to the hackers/thieves into your day-to-day activity, which can be very risky. 

Working with outdated software solutions can leave businesses and employees vulnerable to such threats. A secure software solution with advanced encryption protocols ensures the data remains safe.  

For instance, if you use an advanced travel and expense management software with advanced security features, your private information, such as payment, date of birth, and IDs, remains safe under multiple layers of security. 

Apply the solution for securing private data while traveling

Although traveling for business might seem appealing, it raises a few concerns about the safety of your private data. Hence, you need to invest in the right travel management solution that ensures data security before or during the trip.

ITILITE is one such state-of-the-art software solution. The ITILITE system deploys a robust security infrastructure with certifications in GDPR, SOC2, ISO 27001:2013, Level 1 PCI DSS, and more. Our unified travel and expense management software is a SaaS-based solution with advanced security features. All your private data is stored in the cloud to ensure complete data protection, even if your device is lost or stolen. 

Get the free demo of ITILITE to experience the security features yourself.