World Cup travellers urged to be careful over cyber security

FOOTBALL supporters heading to Russia for the World Cup should be wary of hotel and public Wi-Fi and keep their devices on them at all times, cyber security chiefs have warned.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a branch of Government listening post GCHQ, said fans should think carefully about how to secure their personal data and issued advice.

Fears over the Russian government’s internet capabilities have been heightened in recent months in the wake of the Salisbury spy poisoning, with the Director General of MI5 Andrew Parker warning on Monday of the Kremlin’s “high levels of cyber attacks”.

And the risks to individuals’ personal data have come into sharp focus following the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal.

The NCSC, in a blog post entitled ‘Avoid Scoring A Cyber Security Own Goal This Summer’, recommended fans check with their mobile network whether their phone will work abroad and consider taking only what is necessary.

It suggested: “It may be safer and cheaper to buy a pay-as-yougo phone.”

Anti-virus software and all apps on any phones, tablet or laptop should be up to date and data should be backed up before leaving for the tournament.

The ability to wipe a phone of data should it become lost should be turned on and all devices should be password protected, with two-step authentication enabled on important social media and email accounts.