Fall is over; winter has arrived. It’s cold, foggy, rainy, snowy, and just the right time to take a vacation before the real Holiday madness begins. Whether you’re going to Phuket, Paris, or Poughkeepsie, here are a few tech tips to keep things safe and sane.

Don’t post until you’re back home.

Why? Because posting pix of your fabulous time in Acapulco on Facebook and Instagram just advertises the fact that your home is empty and waiting for thieves to break in and cart away all they can carry. Remember, complete strangers with bad intentions, as well as your friends, are looking at your social media.

Avoid public wi-fi spots.

You’re a sitting duck when you use a public wif-fi hotspot, even at a hotel or the airport. Rogue operators can pick up all the data they want from your accounts when you use a public wi-fi platform. And even if the wi-fi is legit, the hotel or airport is probably going to sell your data to the highest bidder.

Never use a public printer.

Your hotel may have a great business center you can use for free, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t booby-trapped. Never print sensitive information off a public printer — it can be hacked without you knowing it. Or, if it doesn’t seem to work it may just be a glitch — and after you’ve left it all comes tumbling out for complete strangers to gawk at. 

Categories: Travel