Going on vacation? Take cybersecurity with you

So you're ready for your summer vacation? Don't forget to make cybersecurity your travel companion to keep your online data safe on the go.

According to the latest European Central Bank (ECB) report, the total value of fraudulent transactions annually has reached EUR 1.8 billion. Another study from cybersecurity company RSA points out that fraudsters have also increased their attacks on social media. The 2019 Current State of Cybercrime report from RSA Security further shows that cybercriminals are heavily relying on mobile devices for their attacks. According to data, fraud attacks on social media have increased 43% in 2019 alone.

All these numbers tell us there is a need greater than ever for fraud prevention services. However, it is also paramount that we, as consumers, acknowledge the threat and learn how to protect our data. Only by working together, we stand a chance in the battle against fraud.

Summer vacation is upon us and the majority of people are already planning their long-desired holidays. After all, hard-working individuals need and deserve breaks, right? Well, it is important to remember to protect your privacy and keep your data safe even when you're traveling.

Here's a list with some of the most important cybersecurity tips for your summer vacation:

Book your holiday from a trustworthy website and pay attention to your financial data

Most of us make our travel and accommodation arrangements online. With so many attractive offers that we are usually seeing, it is sometimes easy to fall prey to scams. So be extra careful when booking your reservation. When it comes to payment, search for companies that don't ask you to pay for everything upfront – this provides you with extra assurance that they're not planning on collecting your money and then taking off! Also, it is recommended that you do not transfer money directly on bank accounts and never add your financial details on websites that are not secure (without a trusted HTTPS connection marked by the green padlock icon). If possible, try to use a different credit card when paying for your holiday.

Make sure your laptop and mobile devices are protected

When you're on holiday it is best to pay extra attention to your devices. Make sure you store them safely and also that they cannot be accessed easily in case of loss or theft. Although it is advisable that you always use a PIN number or fingerprint ID for your devices, when you're on the road this becomes mandatory.

Avoid using the public Wi-Fi

I know, you want to send your friends some pictures from your exciting holiday, check on your family or just do some Facebook scrolling. After all, you're on vacation, what else are you supposed to do? That's totally fine as long as you do it using your mobile data and not the public Wi-Fi. However, if you really must use it, avoid as much as possible the unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. These are particularly vulnerable to security issues.

Avoiding use of unknown Wi-Fi networks goes hand in hand with disabling the auto-connect funtion which allows your device to automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks as you pass through them on your day-to-day activities. While this may be an advantage at home or at work, remember to change this setting when you travel.

Check your financial accounts regularly

Better safe than sorry also applies when it comes to fraud. So try to be responsible with your finances and your financial information. Check your balance daily and try to monitor your activity. In case you spot something unusual, you can report it immediately and you have a better chance of fixing it. Of course, you're going to do this monitoring using your mobile data or password protected Wi-Fi networks, right? Because you never forgot cybersecurity tip number 3 :)

Vacationing on social media... just don't

You've spent so many weeks looking at other people's holiday pictures on Facebook or Insta, while you were working hard between 4 walls. But now your time has come! You're finally on your way to a new country and your Facebook followers must know it too. Stop! As revealed by the RSA report, fraudsters and burglars have turned social media networks into their allies and you never know who will see what you've posted. Why risk it? You can post those pictures after you've arrived home too. Also, even though you're sharing online, try to minimize your location sharing. There is no point in signaling your every location. If you're using Google Maps and need to share your location for directions, remember to disable it as soon as you've reached your destination.

What other actions do you take to protect your data when you're on holiday? Please share your input in the comments section below.