Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- travelling [2019/08/03 19:36] – neil
+++ travelling [2019/08/09 11:45] – neil
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 =====Travelling=====
+====Key points: ====
+  * [[travelling#Backup your devices before major travel|Backup your devices before major travel]]
+  *[[travelling#Decide which devices go in hand luggage and which in the hold|Decide which devices go in hand luggage and which in the hold]]
+  * [[travelling#Check the security situation before you travel|Check the security situation before you travel]]
+  * [[travelling#Protect your phone (and your bill) from theft|Protect your phone (and your bill) from theft]]
+    * [[travelling#Use a SIM PIN|Use a SIM PIN]]
+    * [[travelling#Report theft or loss to your operator immediately |Report theft or loss to your operator immediately ]]
+    * [[travelling#You might have lost two-factor authentication|You might have lost two-factor authentication]]
+  * [[travelling#Be wary of hotel safes|Be wary of hotel safes]]
+  * [[travelling#Do not trust public USB charging ports|Do not trust public USB charging ports]]
+  * [[travelling#Minimise what you take|Minimise what you take]]
+  * [[travelling#If a device leaves your sight, consider it compromised|If a device leaves your sight, consider it compromised]]
+  * [[travelling#Take particular care when crossing borders|Take particular care when crossing borders]]
+  * [[travelling#Be wary of trusting laptop security cables|Be wary of trusting laptop security cables]]
-====Hand luggage v hold luggage====
+====Backup your devices before major travel ====
+Even if you take [[backups|regular, automated backups]], consider a specific backup before you undertake major travel.
+That way, if you lose your device, you know that you have a copy of your data (which is probably far more important than the hardware) for when you return.
+====Decide which devices go in hand luggage and which in the hold====
 Some people like to breeze onto a plane with nothing in their hands; others like everything onboard with them, so that they can make a swift exit.
@@ Line 14: / Line 35: @@
 ====Check the security situation before you travel====
-The [[https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice|Foreign and Commonwealth Office website]] is a good source of safety information, especially if you're heading somewhere off the beaten path.
+The [[https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice|Foreign and Commonwealth Office website]] is a good source of safety information, especially if you're heading somewhere off the beaten path or if you are member of a vulnerable group.
 However, even if you are going somewhere pretty common, take care. For example, some cities (such as Barcelona) are known for being particularly bad for pickpocket or distractions thefts, including mobile phones.
-====Stolen phones ====
+====Protect your phone (and your bill) from theft ====
-Losing your phone is an easy way to receive a large bill, even if no other security impact. However, even if you have a PIN or passphrase or fingerprint, these will not stop someone from removing the SIM, putting it into another device, and making calls with it. If you are going to a country with a high risk of phone theft, consider a SIM PIN.
+Losing your phone is an easy way to receive a large bill, even if no other security impact.
+ However, even if you have a PIN or passphrase or fingerprint, these will not stop someone from removing the SIM, putting it into another device, and making calls with it.
+===Use a SIM PIN ===
+If you are going to a country with a high risk of phone theft, consider a SIM PIN. This is a PIN which you have to enter when rebooting a phone or putting the SIM into another phone before you can make a call.
+===Report theft or loss to your operator immediately ===
 If your phone does get stolen, report it to your operator as quickly as possible, to lessen the chance of liability for any unauthorised use.
-(If you use your phone for two-factor authentication (e.g. via SMS), you could be in a particularly difficult situation — without your SIM, you might be locked out of your bank, your social media accounts, and possibly even your mobile operator's online account.
+===You might have lost two-factor authentication ===
-====Hotels and safes====
+If you use your phone for [[two-factor_authentication|two-factor authentication]] (e.g. via SMS), you could be in a particularly difficult situation — without your SIM, you might be locked out of your bank, your social media accounts, and possibly even your mobile operator's online account.
+====Be wary of hotel safes====
 Does your hotel have a safe? Is it big enough for your laptop?
@@ Line 33: / Line 64: @@
 Bear in mind that most hotels will have an override key for the “forgetful guest”, so don’t assume anything you put in the safe is secure from hotel staff. Even if your computer is still there when you get back, no guarantee someone with a key has not tampered with it.
-==== Public USB charging ports ====
+==== Do not trust public USB charging ports ====
-Potential malware vector, if a computer connected to the other side of the USB port attempts to send data to your device. Some phones attempt to stop this, but you might also consider a "USB condom" / [[https://www.amazon.co.uk/PortaPow-3rd-Data-Blocker-Pack/dp/B00T0DW3F8/|data blocker]]: a USB device which has the data lines cut, meaning that it can carry power but does not allow data connections.
+[[securing_your_devices#don_t_charge_from_public_usb_ports|Here]]
-Potential meaning of killing your device. e.g. [[http://www.usb-killer.com|USB killer]]. High voltage, to fry your USB ports and possibly other parts of your device.
-Safest thing to do? Don't use them, and instead charge using your own power supply. If you are willing to take the risk of a "USB killer", you could charge your own external battery pack from a public USB socket, and then use that battery pack to charge your device. In using this two-step approach, your phone (the device with the sensitive data on it) is never connected directly to the untrusted circuit.
 ====Minimise what you take ====
@@ Line 45: / Line 72: @@
 It might be convenient to carry all your files. Other times, it might be worth just taking the bare minimum you need.
+Could you travel with a machine with no files stored on it, and rely on secure remote access to your office systems, to access what you need?
+====If a device leaves your sight, consider it compromised ====
 If someone takes your computer away from you, goodness knows what they are doing to it.
@@ Line 52: / Line 83: @@
 Consider putting nail polish over the screw holes on your device — that way, there's at least a chance you would be able to tell if someone has tried to unscrew your machine. However, if a machine has gone out of your sight, you're probably best treating it as compromised, and securely wiping it and getting rid of it.
-====Travelling over borders====
+====Take particular care when crossing borders====
 Some countries (including the UK) give their border officials wide-ranging powers to search electronic devices, and to compel travellers to hand over their passwords.
@@ Line 58: / Line 89: @@
 The Electronic Frontier Foundation has some [[https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/things-consider-when-crossing-us-border|practical advice]].
-====Laptop security cables ====
+Turn off your devices completely if you are particularly concerned.
+Consider turning off biometric authentication when you pass through a security check, as you may have more protection from being asked to reveal a password than being asked to unlock a device using a fingerprint or your face.
+====Be wary of trusting laptop security cables ====
 These usually thin bits of cable might lessen the risk of a casual thief grabbing your computer from a coffee shop table, but they are unlikely to stop anyone who is determined: bolt cutters will get through most security cables with ease.
 It's probably easier just to take your bag with you, even if it means finding another table.