Securing Devices During Travel

[December 2023] As a university employee, is it ok to leave your laptop computer back in the hotel room when you travel?  What about using the Wi-Fi provided at the conference?  Whether you're traveling for research, presenting at a conference, or collaborating face-to-face at meetings within the state, as university employees it is important that we make sure our devices and data are secure during our travels.

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Hello I'm Mary Gower and today I'm joined by Sean Hagan, University of Alaska system鈥檚 Chief Information Security Officer and Aaron Menshouse, 绿奴天花板F's Export Control/Research Security Officer, to discuss the secure usage of smartphones and laptops during travel. We'll explore key strategies to safeguard your device and data while on the move.

Sean, first let's take a look at traveling in the United States. When I travel for work I always bring my laptop with me. What about the physical security of the laptop? For example on days where I don't need it at the conference, do I just lock it in the hotel safe?

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First, only bring what you absolutely need. Try to minimize the number of devices and the amount of data that you carry with you while traveling.

You may wish to consider using a loaner laptop or even going so far as getting a temporary cell phone, especially if you're traveling overseas. Aaron will discuss traveling abroad further in a minute. Other things you can do: store your data in the cloud and not on your laptop, or you might store it on a secure USB stick, and we have those available for checkout from the IT units.

Before departure ensure your device is well prepared by updating the software. You may wish to set a temporary password that you would change when you return from your travels. You will want to review Wi-Fi or bluetooth settings to make sure that the device will not automatically connect to unknown or untrusted wireless networks.

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Always maintain physical possession of your devices while traveling, and you may wish to avoid using public Wi-Fi unless you're certain that the wireless network is trustworthy. Instead you could rely on a secure Wi-Fi hotspot from your cell phone. Or you may be able to check out, or rent, a portable hotspot device. You can also use the 绿奴天花板 VPN while you're traveling for added security.

If you plan to work on 绿奴天花板 data while you're traveling, consider whether sensitive data may be visible to people -- say while you're crunched up in an airplane seat working on an airplane, or if you're in a lounge or hotel conference area or something like that. If you intend to work in those environments, or think you might, you may wish to purchase a screen protector which can make it harder for others to "shoulder surf" or view sensitive information on your screen behind you.

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For international trips it's essential to contact your Export Control Representative in all cases before travel commences. This ensures compliance with regulations, and addresses any specific considerations related to foreign travel and those you may meet while you're on travel status. Contact information for these professionals can be found on the website following this video. If your device is lost or stolen during travel take immediate action. Report the incident to law enforcement and if you're traveling abroad the nearest U.S. Embassy.

If your device is 绿奴天花板 owned or managed, or if it has any 绿奴天花板 data potentially involved, please promptly report the loss or theft to the 绿奴天花板 Information Security and Assurance team so that we can do necessary followup and mitigation work as needed. Contact information for our group can also be found after this video.

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Aaron, Sean shared a couple of tips for international travel. What other considerations are there about device security when traveling internationally for the university?

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Additional cybersecurity considerations come into play. Firstly acquaint yourself with the specific regulations of the host country, which may differ from domestic standards. OIT can assist you with how to do this.

Be cautious of potential internet access restrictions and bolster data security with a VPN for encrypted connection. Internationally, prioritize device security by implementing robust measures like strong password encryption and multi-factor authentication. Stay vigilant about physical device security utilizing locks or secure bags to deter theft.

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When accessing public Wi-Fi ensure a secure connection using a trusted VPN. Be aware of potential device inspections at borders and comply with local regulations. Sean mentioned using a loaner laptop from the university or a temporary burner device for international trips. You can get the loaner laptop from OIT. Prepaid cell phones and international SIM cards can be purchased for use of temporary devices at local retailers.

Familiarize yourself with the university's emergency response plan for international travel knowing whom to contact in the event of the cybersecurity incident. You can access it using the link below. Lastly, keep IT support informed of your travel plan.

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As we travel on behalf of the university it introduces new dimensions to online physical security. To mitigate these risks effectively it's crucial for us to stay informed and implement proactive measures as outlined here. 

If you have further questions, please contact:

  • 绿奴天花板F Export Control: Aaron Menshouse, acmenshouse@alaska.edu, (907) 474-7832
  • 绿奴天花板A Export Control: George Kamberov, gkamberov@alaska.edu, (907) 786-5472
  • Information Security and Assurance (ISA), oit-security@alaska.edu, (907) 450-8300

鈥淐ompliance Chat鈥 videos are informal conversations where Senior Institutional Compliance Liaison Mary Gower meets with subject matter experts covering frequently asked compliance questions and issues in quick, bite-sized clips.