Four tips to stay cyber secure for March Break

Getting ready to take off on vacation for March Break? Your bags may be packed but are your devices ready to go? Here’s how you can prevent a cyber attacker from ruining your trip.  

Protect your devices 

These days, it’s difficult to imagine going on vacation without your phone. Not only that, but travellers also usually choose to bring a whole array of devices with them. Tablets, gaming devices, laptops—all of them can help pass the time while waiting in an airport or unwinding after a long day of sightseeing. Unfortunately, all of these provide an opportunity for a potential cyber attacker to hack your device and steal your information. One of the main ways you can protect these devices? Blocking malicious websites. The best way to do this is to use a tool like CIRA Canadian Shield. You can download it onto your phone from the App Store or Google Play—or use an extension on browsers—and it will automatically block a site that threatens to spoil your vacation. That means you can focus on time hanging out with family without having to worry about losing time, money and or privacy. 

Be careful about where you log on

Vacations are all about exploring new and exciting places. That also means gaining access to new internet networks. Places like coffee shops, museums and hotel rooms offer lots of opportunities for internet access. But they also create threats that could bring down your devices. A good rule is to always be cautious about logging on to new networks. The best way to do this is also the simplest one: Don’t use a public Wi-Fi network. If you absolutely need to though, be sure to only use a networks you feel confident you can trust. A well-known museum or an airport network? Probably safe. A sketchily-named Wi-Fi hotspot in a public park? Probably not. You can also reduce your risk by only logging on for short periods of time then logging off when you are done. You should also be extra careful about the sites you visit. For example: Avoid logging into your bank while on a public network. Finally, another layer of security can help. Use a virtual private network (VPN) or firewall if you can.

Secure your home

Part of having a cyber secure vacation is protecting what you’re leaving behind. It’s nice to think about taking off on vacation but you also need to ensure your home is protected against cyber threats while you are away. One of the big risks to your home networks is attackers logging on and using it to access your personal information and altering your devices. Changing the settings on your home router can go a long way towards blocking cyber attacks. Start by ensuring your home Wi–Fi is password protected. This blocks the easiest path to would-be attackers gaining access. The next step is to change the default password to your router’s administrative access. That will help to prevent attackers from changing your home network’s settings and ensure you still have unfettered access when you return.

Educate your family members

Protecting your devices and being careful about your networks can go a long way. However, it will only offer so much security. The next biggest thing you can do to protect your family? Educate. Knowing not to click on malicious emails or getting scammed by a fake website will go a long way towards blocking out cyber threats. You can help the rest of your family learn to spot a phishing or smishing message. Let them know about the signs of a fake online shopping scam. Also, consider educating them about the benefits of having a unique password for each account. It may seem small but a little education before you head out of town can go a long way towards enjoying a cyber attack-free vacation.  

Don’t let a cyber criminal ruin your vacation. Follow these steps to ensure you have a restful and attack-free March Break.