Business.com Feature: Cybersecurity and Safe Travels 

Defendify’s article on techniques to keep your data and company safe while you’re out of the office was recently published on Business.com. We’ve shared some insight and tips on coaching your customers through travel best practices here, and don’t forget to check out the full article on Business.com.


For small business owners and operators, traveling rarely means totally unplugging – they’re just too involved in their business to truly forget about it. The good news is that cybersecurity doesn’t have to take a break, either. Here are a few tips to keep your customers cyber-safe while they’re on the road.

1. Reconsider Auto-Reply

Auto-reply is an almost universal feature among vacationers and business travelers, a simple message that alerts recipients that you’re away. But this courtesy comes with risk. The very function of an auto-reply is to be automatically sent out to those who attempt to contact you, meaning anyone can receive the email – even a cyberattacker.

Auto-replies, especially detailed ones, share information that could be used to make a phishing or or vishing attack more convincing. Suggest alternatives if your customers will be out of touch, such as having a coworker monitor their inbox or letting contacts know about the trip ahead of time. If they do opt to keep auto-replies, remind them that less is more when it comes to information: a short message such as “I am currently unavailable” may suffice and provides limited material for a would-be social engineer.

2. Connect with Caution

If your customers want to get some work done while away, it likely means finding a WiFi connection. Public WiFi seems convenient, but it’s notorious for the cybersecurity risk it carries. Anyone within range can connect to the same signal, so you never know who’s sharing the network. Savvy cyberattackers can potentially access and monitor your device and information through public WiFi.

Public WiFi is not a secure way to work, and it’s best practice to avoid it altogether, using a personal hotspot from a smartphone or connecting through a Virtual Private Network (VPN). If there’s no alternative to public WiFi while traveling, advise your customers to use caution, minimize logging into systems with their credentials, and avoid accessing sensitive data as much as possible.

3. Exercise Awareness

You protect your travel documents and wallet while traveling, so don’t forget that data is valuable, too. A little cyber-awareness can help protect your customers’ information. Encourage them to consider what information they’re bringing and accessing while traveling and how it’s protected from threats, both high-tech attacks and simple shoulder surfing.

A vacation is supposed to be a time for relaxation – not for dealing with a cybersecurity incident. A couple of simple steps can keep your customers secure in the air, on the beach, or wherever else they may roam.

Read the original article on Business.com.

Stay Safe,

Your Friends @ Defendify

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