- Nordvpn Research Notes travelers are using more and more devices during their trips, but few are protecting their data
- Many travelers connect to public wi-fi without protection
- Travelers also warned about “shoulder surfers” spying on their devices
Travelers are using devices on their trips more than ever, but a new NordvPN investigation warned that this leaves some travelers exposed by unusual devices.
The company’s research found that the most common protection method is a safe password/password code, with 47% of travelers who use these, and 46% maintain their software regularly updated to keep safe. A fifth of travelers use a privacy screen protector to maintain their information safe from ‘shoulder surfers’, and 17% use a virtual private network (VPN).
However, 13% worrying travelers do not take data protection measures at all, and one third of smartphone users admit connect to a public Wi-Fi network on their trip (without a VPN).
Device distractions
Travelers are mainly using their smartphones to listen to music or podcasts (54%), especially in Sweden (68%), United States (63%) and Canada (60%). In Japan, travelers generally update the news on their trips, White Spain and Italy are more social, choose to send messages and call people.
Interestingly, in English -speaking countries (more France and Spain), travelers are very concerned about cybersecurity threats, and the less worried nation is Sweden, with 7 out of 10 people only a little or nothing worried about cyber threats while traveling.
Despite the risks, almost two thirds (60%) of travelers say they use public Wi-Fi at least sometimes, with the most common criminals (80%). That said, most do not connect for a long time, with half spending up to 30 minutes connected.
It is never a good idea to access confidential accounts such as health applications, banking or platform related to public Wi-Fi, since computer pirates can exploit networks to intercept their data.
If you travel, do not allow Wi-Fi’s public convenience to compromise your safety and use a VPN if you have not yet done so, as well as to ensure that the authentication of 2 factors is always enabled to avoid commitments.
The best VPN service will encrypt your data, so even the threats of the actors that lurk in the same public Wi-Fi can only see formed and unusable information.
