If you are a business traveler, you probably have stored confidential information in either your laptop, smartphone or online email accounts. For that reason, as information is highly valued, security is of extra importance. Not only do you need to be aware of your company's data security, but backing up your work is crucial as well. Laptop users usually overlook the need to back up their own work and this often leads people into a panic when files are lost and they are trying to recover them.
As an employee, your duty is to make sure your files are backed up, your data is safe, and you are handling your work tasks while traveling. Here are some ways to make sure your security and backup strategies are in place as you travel for work.
First, you need to back up. Regular backups are important can be done by purchasing a small UBS drive that connects to your computer. You need to keep this USB drive connected to your computer and setup the backup through Windows or Mac. That way, in the case that your laptop dies or is unavailable, you'll be able to access your files through the USB which can be taken anywhere.
As to security, you need to shut down your computer properly. It is not enough to just shut the screen just because it is annoying to wait for it to shut down. If you only shut down the screen, you are risking your security because anytime a USB is plugged into your laptop while it's still on, your data can be copied onto the flash drive.
Someone might try to steal your data without you even knowing it. This could also happen to mobile phones or tables. Therefore, shut all of your equipment down or set passwords to avoid the risk.
Even though a password is important, you should set up an encryption as it offers even more protection in the case of theft or a loss. If you store customers' data for a law office or insurance company for example, a lost laptop with compromised data can be a disaster. Encrypt all of your laptop, tablet, and any other mobile device's data and back it up to avoid a big problem. This includes the entire physical drive rather than just folders.
After you back up, you have to keep the backup with you wherever you go. For the traveler, a good idea would be to keep it in your hotel room's safe, which is probably the safest option to keep your backup. You can also keep backups online but you need to have firewalls up to block connection requests which can be done with an IT staff member.
Anytime that you make a connection in a hotel, restaurant, cafe, etc, be sure to enable VPN because it's encrypted by default and your data won't be compromised. It's the most secure option compared to the hotel's network, despite it's slower connection.
As an ultimate resource, be sure to keep a powerbank or spare battery with you for your phone, laptop or tablets because you may otherwise be forced to share a charge box station at the airport. Use these tips to stay secure and make traveling not a stressful factor while you run your business.