October 17th, 2007
Business Travel Tips
In this global and increasingly fast-paced business world, traveling for work is a way of life for many. Making the most out of your time on the road is often a top priority, but the trick is making sure this doesn’t come at the expense of security. Checking your e-mail while waiting for your plane to board, fine-tuning a business proposal during the flight, and browsing online in a hotel café are popular ways to spend time during business travel—and crooks know this. Fortunately, there are tools you can use and steps you can take to help keep your information and hardware safe.
1. Use Security Software While this may seem like common sense to most, installing security software is often overlooked, yet is a necessary step to protect the data on your equipment. While most wireless networks have some level of security, the more protection you have on your device, the better. Even a basic password can help protect your information if your device is lost or stolen. For more advanced solutions, consider multi-layered security. Antivirus and antispyware software combined with firewalls will decrease the likelihood that a hacker or identity thief will be able to access your information. You should also update your Web browsers and other software frequently.
2. Keep it Simple Take only what you need on your next trip. When setting up your mobile office, determine the hardware, software and programs you need before you leave. Cater your hardware and software programs to your own personal needs and work patterns, while also ensuring that a minimal amount of information can fall into the wrong hands. Make sure you know the latest security rules. I always carry my laptop with me, but if faced with a situation where I couldn’t carry my device on to the plane, I’m not sure I’d take it with me at all. Since you can’t lock checked bags, I’d be reluctant to check a device as valuable to me as my laptop with my luggage. Instead, I’d make sure my destination location or hotel provides a business center that would allow me to stay in touch while I’m away. I’ve also got a smaller pull-out section of my briefcase in which I keep my computer, so that in the event that I’m on a commuter flight with limited storage, I can leave my briefcase plane-side while still carrying on a smaller case with my laptop.
3. Protect Yourself Back up your data. In case your laptop or smart phone is stolen or misplaced, put essential files on a flash drive or CD before you leave. Another option is to use paper to save important information. Printing out your list of important contacts is a great way to back up your electronic device.
To foil nosy neighbors, use a privacy screen filter, such as those made by 3M, which make it impossible to view a laptop screen from an angle.
4. Hotspots Can Put You in the Hot Seat Wireless hotspots are not as secure as you may think. Software programs called packet sniffers can allow people to look at wireless transactions in the vicinity and capture the information being transmitted between the laptop and wireless access point. These programs are typically used to capture passwords, credit card numbers and bank account information, and hackers can find and download them for free on the Internet. While checking e-mails in the airport hotspot may not be that risky, remember to wait until you’re in a more secure place to enter financial information.
Using a virtual private network (VPN) to connect to your office can make using public hotspots safer because your information is encrypted as it travels. This makes the information appear as gibberish to anyone trying to intercept it. A VPN provides additional data protection on common Internet-based transactions through virtually any terminal or network. If your company does not offer a VPN for employees working away from the office, there are services you can subscribe to for a minimal monthly fee, and some providers even offer daily or weekly packages for infrequent travelers. —Tips 5-8>>
5. Hotel Access If someone else makes your travel arrangements for you, make sure that complimentary in-room access and/or 24-hour business center access is one of the criteria for where you stay. I make my own travel plans, and the online travel service that I use does a good job of telling me whether the hotels I’m considering offer business services and/or in-room access, and if there is a fee. Interestingly enough, I’ve found when I travel that mid- to lower-priced hotels do a much better job of offering complimentary in-room high speed access than higher-end properties.
6. Cell Phone Data Networks A cell phone data network service is becoming a more common option to hotspot technology as a way of getting online when away from your office. These networks provide broader coverage than hotspots and allow you to conduct business anywhere you’re able to get a good cell signal. I still find them a bit on the pricey side given how much I travel, and I don’t use the service from home because I live in an area that gets very poor cell phone reception. However, if you do get a good cell signal at home, you will enjoy increased convenience and higher financial benefits by having home and travel services on one cellular device, which often costs much less than a home landline combined with additional travel services.