The Information Security Office would like to remind holiday travelers to be cautious and vigilant:
- Technology is highly targeted by thieves, especially in travel areas around the holidays. Leave all unnecessary devices or equipment at home or in a locked office.
- Devices like laptops and tablets are often lost during busy security screening lines and in crowded terminals. Make sure devices are encrypted and use strong passwords in case the device is lost or stolen.
- To prevent the loss of information if a device is lost or stolen, remove sensitive or confidential information from your devices before traveling. You can safely store data on university servers or approved cloud storage systems like Box.com for later access.
- Use VPN when connecting to unknown or unfamiliar networks. Also, even if prompted when connecting to unfamiliar networks, do not install agents or helper applications, as these are often designed to eavesdrop on connections, even over VPN.
Traveling internationally? Follow these additional steps to further protect your devices and the information they contain:
- Plan ahead! Research the international requirements for each country you plan to visit. The State Department has travel safety information for every country on their website: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/cybersecurity-tips-international-travelers
- Some countries have restrictions on encrypted devices. Familiarize yourself with your destination’s laws about technology and check especially for encryption import restrictions.
- The Office of Research Security has a new resource with steps all international travelers should take: https://research.rice.edu/international-travel
For more information, visit our traveling with technology website at https://iso.rice.edu/travel-technology or contact the OIT Help Desk at 713-348-HELP or helpdesk@rice.edu.