Staying Cyber-Safe on Vacation: Essential Tips for Public Computers & Wi-Fi

Frank Bravo 0:08
I'm praying. Bravo and welcome to your Tech Makeover, the podcast that gives you tips and tricks to help simplify and get more out of the technology in your life. Today, we're talking about how to keep yourself safe with your digital devices and accounts while on vacation. I'll also touch on the potential dangers of using shared hotel computers, and how to protect yourself when using a Wi-Fi network in a location you're not familiar with. If you've listened to any of my podcasts before, you've heard me talk about digital security and your passwords. You know that I stress that digital security is critical, and it becomes even more and more important when you're away from home. Let me tell you a story. I've actually gotten a lot of mileage out of this experience, and you've probably heard me talk about it before. But if not, let me start by telling you that this story is about a person named chat. I met Chad while on vacation in San Diego years ago, while I didn't actually meet him. I did come in contact with his digital self. Let me explain. We were staying at a hotel when I realized late the night before, my younger sons new student orientation at San Diego State, that we were missing a printout that we needed to bring with us. Yes, we had to bring this print out because they were not yet ready to do digital. So he and I headed down to the hotel lobby so that we could use the business center's computer to print out the document that we needed, because the need to fix computer problems and issues always seem to follow me wherever I go. I started by having to fix the computer because it had crashed. I got the printer working after a little bit because it had jammed and it was unplugged, and then I had to reconnect the computer to the internet. So finally, after a long time, I was able to start what I had come down to do. I navigated a gmail.com so that I could access my email, expecting to be greeted with the normal login window. I was surprised to find that the email account was already loaded. I had to think for a minute that was I working on the computer and forgotten that I had already logged into the account. It took my son and I another moment to realize that the mail that we were looking at wasn't actually mine, but the last person to use this public hotel computer in the lobby, the Gmail account on the screen, belonged to someone named Chad. I could tell that by the email address, and while I didn't read any of the emails from the subject on the screen, I could tell that Chad was traveling next to the Midwest and had been in town for a couple of days before logging out. I thought, you know, I should do this and send Chad an email from himself to himself explaining what had happened and giving him some advice to how to be safe online. I never heard back from Chad, and actually I don't really remember if I gave him my information, but I hope that he had read the message and hopefully he is more careful in the future. Chad situation serves as a reminder of the risks involved in using shared computers when accessing a public computer, like those in hotel lobbies. It's essential to follow some best practices first. If you're using a windows computer and there's an option to use Chrome instead of Internet Explorer, do that. Chrome is typically more secure and automatically updated. Presuming that it's set up correctly, of course, producing the reducing the potential for vulnerabilities. Second, when using a public computer, always use an incognito window in the browser, although it's not a full proof plan. It won't track your browsing, it won't save the history, and it won't save the cookies, providing an extra layer of privacy for me if I don't use an incognito browser, I do go through the browser and clear the history and clear the cookies. Then always remember to log out of personal accounts that you've logged into to make sure that the computer isn't still logged in when you leave it, and check to make sure that the computer didn't save your login credentials. This helps make it so that the next user won't have access to your information. As I mentioned, additionally, it's good practice to clear the browser cookies and cache after your session, even though this should be done automatically when using incognito. It's always a good step to help minimize the chances that someone else can retrieve your sensitive data. Lastly, if you encourage if you encounter any issue with the computer, such as a crash or unresponsiveness, make sure it's functioning properly before leaving it. This ensures that you have the opportunity to perform the necessary steps to protect your privacy. Now let's talk about shared Wi-Fi networks. While convenient, these networks pose a security risk. One way to enhance your safety is by using a virtual private network or a VPN. A VPN encrypts your internet connection, making it more secure and protecting your data from potential snoopers on the same network. There are both pros and cons to using VPNs in this situation. The include enhanced privacy, security, and especially these when opening up yourself to a unsecured network one you don't need a password to log into. However, some VPN services may come at a cost, either through a subscription fee or limitations to data usage, and the connection speed is always reduced. It's important to evaluate your need and choose a reputable VPN provider that aligns with your requirements and your budgets. It's also important to make sure that you set this up on your device before you go away. It is way harder to do this on the fly when you actually need it. Remember that being vigilant about your digital security is crucial, especially when you're away from home. By following these precautions, you can significantly reduce your risks associated with shared computers and public Wi-Fi. So, do you have a good plan to keep yourself digitally safe when traveling? Let me know how you're doing. And as always, if you have any other ideas for topics that you'd like me to cover, please feel free to contact me via email at Frank at your Tech Makeover. Com. That's it for now. Thanks for listening to your tech makeover. If you haven't already, make sure you follow the Facebook page at facebook.com. Your makeover. That's where I'll break down this and other episodes. And before I go, I wanted to remind you to subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast platform so that you don't miss an episode. You can also check out your tech makeover. Com where you can see more information about each episode and various other places you can listen. If you want to know more about me, please visit Bravo. Dot com. Until next time, I'm Frank Bravo and this has been your tech makeover.