5 Security Tips for Digital Nomads

The on-the-go lifestyle is great but it does have its challenges, security being one of them. Here are a few tips to keep in mind...

5 Security Tips for Digital Nomads

The internet has made it possible for people to travel the world and work from wherever they happen to be. But this same connectivity has brought along some problems, opening up new avenues for criminals and surveillance.

Therefore, digital nomads need special tools in order to keep their data safe and secure. Here we share a few security tips they could find useful. These same tips could also be used by just about anyone traveling for business or pleasure.

So read on, even if you’re only traveling once or a few times per year…

1. Know how to handle unsolicited messages

One of the most common ways hackers get into users’ computers is by sending them a piece of software to install via email or messenger apps. Of course, they don’t blatantly say what will happen to the user if he/she installs that app, and are rather lying and inventing some stories — or “incredible opportunities” users would miss if they don’t take described steps on their computer or smartphone. Once that app is installed, the hacker on its end is able to control that computer/phone and get all information he/she desires.

So don’t install apps or software coming from people you don’t know. Heck, even if a person you know sends you an app, think twice before installing it – their computer may have been hacked and now the hacker is “speaking” on your friend’s behalf.

And the same goes for any personal information — you should not disclose it to fishy third parties. Many big corporations already know a ton about you and they tend to take care of that data with care — that’s what the regulations force them to do. But smaller, unknown players — as far as you’re concerned — may be out of business tomorrow and could decide to sell their database of users to someone else.

The good thing today is that major email providers include spam AND scam filters that help you determine whether the messages you’re receiving are legit or not. Nevertheless, taking an extra step to verify the sender could be well worth the effort (of avoiding the potential damage).

2. Use your own computer whenever possible

As a digital nomad, you may be visiting internet cafes in various places around the world. And sometimes, you may forget your computer and are tempted to use one of theirs. Except if you want to check out the latest news and/or weather reports, don’t do it. You don’t want to share or submit any personal information and/or login data (username/password) using a computer that isn’t yours.

As far as you (don’t) know, the internet cafe owner may be collecting all data its customers enter on those computers. There is no reason to risk that much, so whenever possible – use your own computer.

Sure, you could check the list of running apps via Task Manager to see whether some fishy app is running in the background, but you should also know there are ways to hide such apps from appearing there.

3. Use strong passwords

The general rule of thumb is that all your passwords should be different and that each should:

  • Have at least 8 characters
  • Contain at least one upper case letter and at least one lower case letter
  • Contain at least one number
  • Contain at least one special character – i.e. ~!@#$%^&*()-=][{}
  • NOT contain your name, names of your family members and dates of birth.

Creating such a password will make it impossible for hackers to guess them, but will also make it next to impossible to remember it. To that end, you could use some password management software like 1Password or LastPass that make this a snap — they could easily generate strong passwords for you and allow you to use them at the point of login or form submission.

With this software running on your computer (and phone), you will only have to remember one password — the one which is used to login to 1Password, LastPass or whichever software you end up using. For what it matters, I use LastPass.

4. Have easy access backups

Cloud is your friend here, as it allows you to store all your important data in one place from where you can access it whenever there is a need for that. For this, you may want to rely on services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox and Box.net — which let you store some of your files (or all of them) into remote folders and access them both from your computer and your phone or tablet.

In fact, prior to visiting some countries, you may want to take one extra step and not only backup your data to the cloud, but also delete some of it from your computer and phone. This is because customs authorities in some countries have broad authority to search, confiscate, and break into devices when you’re trying to enter. To prevent that from happening, you can have as little data on your devices as possible, and when you cross the border — simply download all the files from the cloud service you’re using.

5. Get a good VPN

Last but not least, a good VPN will keep you secure as you browse the web in a foreign country, which is extremely important as you will be accessing the Internet from public WiFi hotspots when hackers could get hold of your data.

Furthermore, a VPN will also let you access all the popular services that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you’re visiting. Think: social media sites like Facebook and Twitter; and video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video.

Governments in some parts of the world block access to some websites, but they are not the only one to blame for what we would call a limited internet experience. Video streaming services themselves block users from certain countries to watch some movies and TV shows; that’s just the way media rights are sold and bought today.

With a VPN, you can bypass all these restrictions and enjoy the Internet just like at home. For that to work, however, you will need a solid VPN service and to that end – we suggest checking out our list of Top 5 VPNs. You won’t make a mistake by choosing any service on that list, but for the best overall experience, get the top-rated VPN. Yes, it’s actually that easy.