Traveling? Your Data is at Risk!
July 10, 2008
Summer holidays are beginning, and it's important to remember that
traveling can be dangerous to your data's health (see, for example,
this week's article on laptop
losses). Here is a short list of things to bear in mind:
- The simplest way to protect something is just not to have it in
the first place. If you can do without your sensitive data, leave it
at home!
- If you do have to take sensitive information with you, make
sure it's on an encrypted partition or, better yet, use whole-disk
encryption.
- Use strong passphrases that contain multiple character types. If
you're an Arabic speaker, use Arabic script in your passphrase.
- Prepare yourself psychologically to be extra-vigilant at the
security checkin and at the departure gate; that is where most laptops
are lost.
- Exercise reasonable precautions when using cyber cafes and
wireless access points while away.
Bon voyage, and may your data be with you.
