Why you should definitely use a VPN while traveling
Traveling may be an experience on its own but there are a number of challenges that it brings along. It doesn’t matter if you are on the move for business, a family event or solo fun there will always be something that becomes a hassle for you. With the advent of the digital age, although a number of these issues have been sorted, there are several new ones that have cropped up.
In this article we discuss cybersecurity and geographical restriction challenges that travelers face, and how a VPN can help you find a way around these problems.
Tourists are easy targets for cybercriminals
A traveler is in a foreign land especially if they in the country for the first time. They are unaware of how things work and will jump at familiar opportunities. This usually includes accessing free wi-fi at public hotspots etc. It is actions like these which put them at risk of becoming a catch for local cybercriminals. These elements can easily compromise a tourist’s private information and manipulate it for their own gains.
Even frequent travelers are at risk of suffering heavy damages because they are part of databases which are being hacked increasingly. According to one report, at least 3.9 billion log-in attempts were made by potential cybercriminals at airlines, travel, accommodation and rental websites around the world. Some of these have been successful in the past like Uber reported losing data of millions of users to a hack recently.
Necessary steps for visitors regarding cybersecurity
While online portals are becoming aware of the growing rates of cybercrime, tourists themselves have the first responsibility to protect themselves. There are a few things that they can do in this regard:
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Remain vigilant: First and foremost is the most basic thing and that is to stay aware of the surroundings. Hackers can try a variety of tactics so it is important to know about the common attack types and how to avoid them,
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Abstain from using public wi-fi wherever possible: Public network connections are like Disneyland for hackers. Anyone who uses the internet is on their radar because they can plant a virus in that device easily. Since tourists have no other source of internet, they use public wi-fi the most putting them at higher risk than others,
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Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network or VPN is the most trusted companion when it comes to traveling. Not only does it allow unrestricted access to all websites from back home as well as the country they are in, the program also plays a major role in safeguarding against cybercrime.
Cybersecurity for tourists is mostly in their own hands. If you are someone who values their privacy and want to stay out of harm’s way, it is imperative to follow these steps properly.
The importance of using a VPN
A VPN service offers extensive benefits for travelers. Let’s start with the more fun side of using a VPN. There are a number of services like local television channels that are under geographic restrictions from the respective countries. Netflix, for instance, doesn’t offer the same library to its users even if they are traveling beyond US borders. A VPN helps you get around this easily.
More importantly, the VPN masks IP addresses. It makes all data traffic anonymous. This means that hackers are unable to trace your location which deters them from pursuing you any further.
Conclusion
If you are traveling it is important to have a trusty VPN service with you at all times.