Malware Threats: Protect Your Mac When You Travel

Whether you travel for work or for pleasure, your Mac faces all sorts of malware threats. Every year, cybercrime stats rise, and people who are traveling are vulnerable to attack and make great targets for cybercriminals.

Airports and airline companies are perfect places for cybercriminals to target. This is because they are busy places. The airport lounge will see tens of people passing through each day; relaxed and often using Macs and other devices.

Whenever you are traveling, it is important that you think about malware attacks and other forms of cybersecurity breaches.

In this article, we'll discuss how you can protect your Mac when you're traveling.

Update OS

You should always keep your software up-to-date; in particular, you should always ensure you check your operating system has the latest updates.

Often, an operating system update will have patches that are designed to repair vulnerabilities that have been found in the operating system.

Before you go away, make sure that you check that you are running the latest version of OS and that you have all of the necessary updates needed to protect you from the latest threats.

Turn on Your Firewall

Whenever you use your Mac on a public network, you should always work to the assumption that your network is not going to be secure. You should also always assume that each network that you connect to could have been compromised.

While a public wi-fi may have its own firewall, it is still essential that you deploy your own to protect you from activity elsewhere on the same network.

If you don't already have a firewall in place, make sure that you download and set one up ahead of your journey.

Use Caution on Public Wi-Fi Networks

Whenever you are traveling, you might often use a public wi-fi network. These offer a great opportunity to connect your device to the internet for free. This could be at the airport, the hotel, or when you're in cafes or restaurants.

You do need to be aware that standards are not always going to be as high as they are back home in terms of encryption and network security. It is recommended that you proceed to use these wi-fi networks with caution.

Find out whether the network is encrypted before you use it. And, while you do use the network, don't access any sites that require personal and sensitive information.

Lock Your Device Down

It is not just hackers that you should be worried about gaining access to your device. You should also be aware that other criminals operate in busy tourist areas, and you may get your Mac stolen.

There may be several ways of locking down your mac; this will include passwords and PIN numbers. On some devices, you may be able to lock your system down using biometrics such as fingerprint recognition.

By using locks on all of your devices, you'll be able to stop your device being broken into by anyone that gets hold of your device if it's lost or stolen.

Use a Privacy Screen Protector When Working

While working away from home, you might get quite a lot of your work done while you're waiting to board your plane. The airport lounge area may seem like a great place to get some work done, but you should be careful about what you do.

Prying eyes may be close by, and if you're working on sensitive or confidential information, then you should do something to protect this information from people sitting or standing nearby.

When working on anything that others should not be allowed to read, think about using a privacy screen protector. This sits on top of your screen and makes it impossible for other people around you to see the information you're putting on your screen.

Use Up-To-Date Security Software

As well as using your firewall, you should definitely use other software to protect your Mac.

Antivirus software is essential in stopping viruses and malware in its tracks. You must always remember that you need to keep your antivirus software up-to-date with all of the latest updates at all times.

Adguard for Mac is a useful one-stop security app that provides your Mac with a range of different security benefits.

Switch off Your Bluetooth

Before you go away, make sure that your Bluetooth is turned off. This will prevent your device from being accessed by hackers who take advantages in Bluetooth vulnerabilities.

Bluejacking is a common threat, and it is one that you can easily avoid by ensuring your Bluetooth is always turned off.

Keep Your Passwords Updated

Before going away, update all of your passwords. This includes the password or PIN number that you use to access your device, as well as commonly used sites such as your online banking and social media accounts.

Make sure that your password is different on each site that you use and don't opt to store your passwords on your computer.

If your Mac falls into the wrong hands, you'll want to make sure it is not possible for thieves to access your sensitive information.

Don't Share Your Location on Social Media

It can be fun to let the world know that you're on holiday. After all, why would you not want to boast about it? But if you share items on social media that have your location tagged, then you're announcing to the world that you're not at home.

Why this may not directly damage your mac, you could get your home broken into. Turn off your location services if you're posting anything, and save uploading any holiday snaps until you get back home.

How Do You Protect Your Mac From Malware Threats?

Online security is vital when you're traveling, and you're never far from malware threats. By following these simple tips, you'll be able to keep your mac safe from harm throughout your trip.

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