post-pandemic summer travel and data loss.

It’s been over a year since we were told to cancel our travel plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. As more and more people get vaccinated and countries are reopening just in time for warm summer weather, travel is back. People are longing to travel again. Who doesn't want to go on a beach holiday again?

Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors, go swimming, hang out with friends, and enjoy the weather. For many, it’s also a time for graduations, weddings, vacations, and visiting family.

But in today's world, traveling is no longer what it used to be. It’s not just about packing a suitcase with clothes and books. Today, we can’t leave our homes without our portable devices: a laptop, tablet, camera, and a smartphone or two. Because digital devices have become a vital part of our lives, our privacy is at more risk than ever before when we travel. Our devices are loaded with personal information and pose significant privacy risks if not properly protected. Therefore, data safety has to be just as crucial as your personal safety, and protecting your data is just as important as protecting your valuables. Just as we keep cash out of sight and valuables locked away, we have to make sure to preserve our digital life when we’re away from home.

how to make a backup when traveling.

Unfortunately, being on the move means that the data on our digital devices is more vulnerable to loss. We’re often not careful backing up that data or even keeping track of the devices themselves. If your device is lost or stolen, you’ll be able to recover what was on it if you back it up during your trip. So don’t wait until you get home, but back up regularly, no matter where you are.

• If you have access to Wi-Fi, you can back up your device to the cloud.

• If you don’t have access to Wi-Fi, you can back up your devices to a USB thumb drive, an external drive or laptop and keep it safe. If you put it in with your luggage, make sure that it is not in the same bag where you carry your devices.

be careful with your devices when you travel.

• Use covers and cases for your phone and cameras. It helps protect them from physical damage.

• Keep your laptop or other devices with you wherever possible. If you need to leave it somewhere, for example in a hotel room, you should lock it in the room's safe.

• Don’t leave any of your digital devices unprotected, for example in an airport security line, on a cafe or restaurant table, beside the pool, or in a handbag hanging from a chair.

• Be aware of your surroundings, especially in a crowd.

• Keep your devices away from all forms of liquid. Water is a common cause of damage to digital devices.

• Ensure that your device needs a password or pin to be unlocked.

• If your data is sensitive or critical, ensure that your device is encrypted. Encryption protects the confidentiality of your information by making it unreadable to anyone who does not have the right key (usually a password).

• Don’t store sensitive data on unencrypted external devices (for example. memory sticks) that can be easily lost.

• Install tracking or “find me” apps on your devices. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones are popular targets for theft because of their high resale value. There are several apps that can help you track and potentially recover your device in case it gets stolen or even lost. Some apps take photos of the perpetrator, geo-locate the device and even allow you to remotely log in and completely wipe your device to protect your information.

• Always backup your data before traveling with your laptop or mobile device.

safety tips for using wi-fi on the go.

Public Wi-Fi networks are infamous for being places where criminal individuals snoop on other computers to steal passwords and account information. You can avoid that possibility by following some simple advice:

• Password-protect and encrypt your devices. Don’t travel without setting a PIN, passcode, or pattern to lock down your mobile phone, laptop, and other devices.

• Before you travel, it's recommended that you change the passwords on the accounts you plan to use. Change them again when you get home. Don’t use the same password on different accounts or reuse a password you’ve used previously. You can use password managers to handle your passwords.

• Turn off sharing on your devices to prevent anyone obtaining access to your device.

• Turn off automatic connection to open Wi-Fi networks.

• Don’t use the web to access your bank, financial institutions, or other important sites if you’re not 100% confident in the security of your internet connection. If you do access a financial, shopping, or other high risk site, make sure your connection is protected with Secure Socket Layer (SSL), which is indicated with the HTTPS prefix in the URL. When you browse over HTTPS, people on the same Wi-Fi network as you can’t nose into the data that travels between you and the server of the website you’re connecting to. Sites that ask for payment or confidential information should use SSL. If they don’t, stay away.

• You’re likely to use free Wi-Fi at a hotel, airport, cafe or mall when you travel. Unfortunately, these public networks are easily hacked, putting your passwords, your files, and personal information at risk. If you can, set up a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your connection. A VPN encrypts your browsing and internet activities and hides your IP so they stay private by routing your traffic through a secure network, even on public Wi-Fi. A VPN is a software program or app you install on your laptop or phone. You can turn it on when you go online, wherever you are.

Data loss and privacy risks won’t stop us from traveling, but we need to keep our privacy and security in mind at all times, whatever we’re doing and wherever we are.

In a world where we're more dependent on our devices than ever, data backup shouldn't be an afterthought. It should be one of the first things you consider when traveling. If you don't, you could lose your photos, your work files, or even your entire business.

Don't forget to keep your eye on your belongings and always take a proactive approach to backing up. But above all, enjoy your vacation - eat well and love every minute of your adventure.

And last but not least, if anything unpredictable happens and you do lose your precious data, Kotar Data Recovery has hands-on experience, extensive knowledge and state of the art tools to recover lost data from any device.