Staying connected securely while on holiday

A STUDY commissioned by cybersecurity company McAfee showed that Asia Pacific consumers prioritise convenience over security while on holiday. The study was conducted by MSI International.

The survey included 9,500 people who use a connected device daily in Australia, France, Germany, UK, Japan, India and the United States, aged 18 to 55 years old and is split evenly by gender.

The study, called Digital Detox: Unwind, Relax and Unplug, found that despite the benefits experienced from unplugging, most individuals prefer to stay connected.

It found that 60% of India respondents and 71% of Japan respondents say that they spend at least an hour a day using their connected devices to check email, text, and post to social media while on holiday.

It also showed that less than half of participants from Australia and Japan know how to determine whether a WiFi connection is secure, with even less taking the time to check their connection.

Participants from Australia and Japan also do not consider the security of their WiFi connection, and a third shared that the stronger their need to remain connected, the less they would care about the security of the WiFi connection

According to McAfee, the wide availability of WiFi networks can make it difficult to unplug and disconnect on holiday but if consumers take that extra step and unplug, they can experience a more secure trip.

This is because cybercriminals may try to exploit travellers who are in unfamiliar settings.

Travellers are most at risk when they put convenience over security, for example, by using unsecured WiFi access points that are easily hackable.

“Consumers in Asia Pacific remain unaware of the dangers of connecting to public WiFi access points,” said David Freer, vice president of Consumer at McAfee Asia Pacific.

He added that these people also tend to carry this habit when they travel due to the need to remain reachable for work and to share their travel experiences on social media.

In response to the findings, McAfee offers some advice to weary travellers.

First, ensure that you are connecting securely while travelling and avoid using public or unsecured WiFi networks.

If you absolutely must connect to a public WiFi network, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

A VPN will keep your information private and ensure that data goes straight from your device to where you are connecting.

Second, make sure your devices’ operating system and applications are kept updated. Using old versions of software could leave you open to potential security vulnerabilities.

Third, install comprehensive security solution on your device to stay clear of viruses and other unwanted malware.

Finally, use a device locating app. If you lose your connected device, especially on holiday, it can be difficult to recover.

Location applications can help you find, lock and even erase your device’s data in the event of theft or loss.