Top tips to protect yourself and your business while you are traveling

Sébastien Pavie Identity and Data Protection Director, MEA Gemalto

Dubai, UAE, August 9, 2016:  Both people and businesses are vulnerable when travelling. In order to remain safe and vigilant whether it’s for work or pleasure, you need to follow the below tips:

1. Disable access to free Wi-Fi networks. Don’t trust any Wi-Fi unless it needs to be paid for. Connecting to a Wi-Fi spot without the necessary precautions is inviting yourself into trouble.
2. Turn off Bluetooth, which can be used to gain access to your mobile device.
3. Create a new email account that you can use just for the duration of your stay in Rio. (But do not use it to send any important messages.)
4. Create a digital identity on the internet for the duration of the Games, ensuring not to associate identities that you use normally and ensure your "temporary identity" you’ve created can’t be linked to your real identity.
5. When using social media, activate the two-factor authentication services that sites like Facebook and Twitter offer. This will give you that extra layer of security and ensure only you are able to access your accounts.
6. If you need to search for information online, try to use a public device in your hotel or when near a stadium. (And, of course, don’t check into personal email accounts or bank accounts on any public device!)
7. Make sure to update your software, operating system and security tools with the latest versions, which feature the latest security protocols and will protect your devices from vulnerabilities.
8. Use devices and infrastructure that employs the latest security techniques like encryption and two-factor authentication to protect the integrity of the data.