If you travel with company mobiles, tablets, laptops and other devices, it is necessary to follow a number of security measures. In some companies, these measures are already set directly at the level of network and application management, in others they leave security to the employees themselves. These can be business trips, but in many cases also longer vacations or longer work from a distant “vacation” location. Check that you are following these precautions.

  1. Theft or loss protection is a major risk that puts your device in someone else’s hands. Here you need to take advantage of all the possibilities of protection. Hard drives, memories (and memory cards in particular) must be securely encrypted. Input (login) to the device protected by two-factor authentication. Setting up biometric login (if this is not possible, then one of the other solutions – keychain, strong unique passwords).
  2. Handle the Internet connection to access your business with a corporate VPN to ensure secure communication, considering that the employee will connect in places with an unknown level of security and can be an easy target for prying eyes.
  3. Erasing/deactivating the device remotely in case of loss is another essential measure that should be considered. Including that the user of the device must know exactly how to proceed in order to react as soon as possible in case of loss or theft.
  4. Secure internet connection. If you’re connecting to unfamiliar wi-fi, make sure it’s secure and combined with the VPN mentioned above. If possible, it’s safer to use a mobile internet connection (buy a local data SIM for a longer stay abroad).
  5. It is essential to update and back up all the devices you will be taking with you before traveling. Updates are important for security flaws, a backup essential for data recovery and settings in case of loss, theft or damage to the device.
  6. Make sure you have an active and up-to-date antivirus program and avoid downloading or opening anything that could be risky while traveling.
  7. Allow for the possibility of damage to the device and have a survival plan ready (for example) without a laptop. It’s very useful to use a password manager to access your login information on another replacement device.
  8. Prevent theft by appropriate behaviour. Do not leave the device unattended, even for a short time. Do not leave them in hotel rooms, use the possibility of safe storage.
  9. If your company has a system that sets levels of access to data and company resources, periodically review the settings for employees on the go. In some cases, it is advisable to set a more limited mode for the duration of the trip.
  10. Don’t forget about education. Train employees on the road accordingly and educate them on the risks and procedures to follow.
Správa IT Ostrava