Traveling this Holiday Season? Beware of Identity Theft.

December 21, 2011
by
Kristina Dorville
National Cybersecurity Education Strategy, DHS

With the holiday season in full swing, the Department of Homeland Security’s Stop.Think.Connect.™ Campaign reminds travelers to be vigilant with their electronic devices. While many people rely on these devices for travel arrangements, directions, and communication, identity thieves may try to take advantage of those on the go.

Follow these simple steps from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team to protect yourself and your personal information while traveling:

  • Password protect your devices. This year, travelers lost 11,000 mobile devices at the busiest U.S. airports.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Make sure that no one can see you type your passwords or see any sensitive information on your screen
  • Turn Bluetooth off if you’re not using it. Cyber criminals have the know-how to pair their Bluetooth device with yours to steal personal information.
  • Be wary of Wi-Fi networks. Only connect over secure networks.
  • Back up your files. To avoid losing valuable information, make backups of important files and store the backups in a separate location.

Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and each of us has a role to play. For more basic tips to stay safe this holiday season, visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect.

Tagged with: app, computer security, cyber security, Department of Homeland Security, identity theft, mobile, NCSAM, smartphone
Blog Topic: Avoid Scams, Be Smart Online

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