Cyber Safe Travel Tips

Cyber Safe Travel Tips

November 22, 2019

Whether travelling is a requirement of your current UBC appointment or if you plan on catching up on work emails during a long layover, you know work doesn’t stop just because you’re away from the office.

What you may not know however, is that cyber-based threats can significantly increase when you’re travelling, and devices you bring along during your trip can easily be compromised or stolen.

So before you embark on your trip, be sure to use these 3 simple tips to stay cybersafe when you travel!

 

1. Ensure your devices are encrypted

One of the most effective ways to keep your data secure while travelling (and at all times) is to ensure that your devices are encrypted. Encryption is the process of scrambling information, making it unreadable in order to protect it from unauthorized access. When information is encrypted, you need a password to make it readable again.

Did you know that encryption is actually mandatory for all faculty and staff? Security Standard #5 of the UBC Information Security Standards plainly states that all devices used for accessing UBC Electronic Information must be encrypted. In addition, encryption requirements apply to any device, whether UBC-supplied or personally-owned, that are used for university business.

Did you also know that if you’re using a UBC-supplied device, encryption is provided for UBC faculty and staff at no cost?

If you are using your own personal (non-UBC supported) device to access UBC electronic information, then it is your responsibility to ensure that it is encrypted.

You can request encryption by contacting your faculty or department’s local IT support, or find tips to encrypt your own devices.

 

2. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection

It’s a terrific convenience to be able to connect a device to the Internet using free wireless access at coffee shops, in hotels or at airports during your travels. Keep in mind, however, that these highly unsecure networks are accessible to anyone and everyone, meaning they are incredibly enticing to criminals who are intent on stealing identities and login credentials. Always remember that any information that you send over an unknown network could be intercepted. Never transmit information that you wouldn’t want disclosed to an undesired or unauthorized party.

UBC Information Technology offers myVPN, a free VPN service, to UBC students, faculty, and staff at both the Vancouver and Okanagan campus.

VPN encrypts your data, even before your Internet Service Provider or the unsecure WiFi provider sees it. This data then goes to the VPN, and from the VPN server at UBC to your online destination — anything from your UBC email to your bank website to a video sharing website to a search engine. The online site sees your data as coming from UBC, and not from your computer and your actual location. We recommend that all students, faculty, and staff use UBC VPN when connecting to the UBC network anytime they are off-campus, and when using non-secure wireless access points.

(how to setup and access myVPN: https://it.ubc.ca/services/email-voice-internet/myvpn/setup-documents)

 

3. Ensure your Enhanced CWL account is properly setup

Enhanced CWL features an additional layer of protection for your Campus-wide Login account using multi-factor authentication (MFA). It requires two items to identify a user:

  1. Something you know (i.e. your password) and;
  2. Something you have (typically a trusted mobile phone, land line or hardware token).

Prior to travelling, ensure that you have more than one authentication option registered for your Enhanced CWL account. Although you may have one primary method that you generally use, it is best-practice to have a backup method enrolled just in case.

The passcode generator within the Duo mobile app is an excellent alternative to the Duo Push for those who are required to login with their Enhanced CWL while travelling, as it uses no data from your phone to generate a passcode. However, if having a phone is simply not an option for a particular travel destination or circumstance, hardware tokens are available on deposit for all employees. These can be obtained from the Access Desk at the back of the UBC bookstore for employees at the Vancouver campus. For those from the Okanagan please speak to your local IT support staff for more information.

(more information: https://privacymatters.ubc.ca/secure/enhancedcwl)

 

4. Additional Considerations when travelling abroad

If you are traveling abroad with an electronic device such as a laptop, tablet, cell phone, USB drive, etc., you may have to deal with border officials at some point.

Some foreign governments retain the right to seize travelers’ electronic devices and review their contents. At border controls, officers have widespread power to stop and search people, and examine their baggage and other possessions including electronic devices.

Before embarking on international travel with an electronic device, review the information on https://privacymatters.ubc.ca/travel-with-electronics to ensure that your trip goes smoothly.

Wherever your plans take you this holiday season we wish you joyous and safe travels. Click here for more about protecting yourself while travelling.