Online security while travelling

Cyber security risks increase significantly when travelling overseas and interstate.聽

Some dangers include:聽

  • Loss/theft of devices leading to data breaches and identity theft聽

  • Connecting to unsafe wi-fi networks leading to malware infection, interception of sensitive communications, and identity theft聽

  • Malware infection via use of unsafe USB charge stations and malicious USB devices聽

Here are some tips for protecting your privacy data as well as the university's data and devices before, during and after your overseas/interstate travels.聽

  • Before travelling

    • Leave your devices and data home, and consider borrowing a "clean device" from ITDS聽

    • In particular, avoid travelling with sensitive information (contacts, photos, personal details, research data, etc) stored on portable devices聽

    • Backup your data to聽University聽network storage locations聽

    • Uninstall unnecessary software and browser plugins, and update OS and other software to the latest version聽

    • Ensure you are using long, unique passwords for each sensitive online聽services. Consider setting up a password manager before travelling聽

    • Ensure devices are protected using strong password and full encryption.聽

  • During travel

    • Never leave your devices unattended聽

    • Don't download new software聽

    • Don't use public USB charging stations or plug-in untrusted accessories (e.g., gifted USB devices)聽

    • Don't connect to open wi-fi networks, and only connect to known trusted wi-fi聽

    • Don't open, click on links, or open attachments on unsolicited or suspicious emails聽

    • Be wary when web browsing, and do not ignore errors related to HTTPS certificates聽

    • When browsing, don't click on suspicious links and popups聽

    • Use the 成人大片 VPN for accessing University systems聽

  • After returning

    • Don't open, click on links or open attachments on unsolicited or suspicious emails聽

    • If you have borrowed a loan device, return to ITDS for formatting聽

    • Consider changing your聽University聽password and other passwords used during travel聽

    • Report anything suspicious to ITDS Service Desk聽

Additional Resources

library

Cyber safety training courses

students sitting in a group