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Potential risks associated with travel
Traveling internationally can pose significant risks to information stored on or accessible via phones, tablets and laptops. Some of the risk is associated with increased opportunities for the loss or theft of a device due to the distractions of traveling.
International travelers must limit the amount of sensitive information available to any mobile device taken on the trip, especially when traveling to high-risk countries. It is best to leave such material home rather than bring it abroad. Cyber-criminals are not only interested in stealing business data, they also desire a traveler’s ID and password to infiltrate Xavier’s systems and information resources.
Once a device is compromised, it could further compromise other Xavier systems and data once the traveler reconnects the device to our network upon returning -- unless drastic measures are taken to wipe the device before that can happen.
Preparing for your trip
- Identify "high risk" countries you plan to visit. Visit the U.S. State Department's Alerts and Warnings web page to identify "high-risk" countries you plan to visit. Please notify the Xavier Helpdesk if you will be traveling to a high-risk country.
- Understand the sensitivity of any data you bring or access. If traveling internationally, remove unnecessary confidential data from any device. This reduces the risk of exposure to anyone gaining access to the information.
- When on a non-Xavier or public computer, be extremely cautious of the data that you access. Do not download files to a computer, keep data within the Office365 cloud. The security of public workstations, especially in high-risk countries, cannot be trusted.
- Enable multifactor authentication wherever available. Xavier uses Microsoft for multi-factor authentication; the Microsoft Authenticator app can also be used on many personal accounts as well. TwoFactorAuth provides a full list of popular services that support multi-factor authentication.
Actions to take during your trip
- Be aware of your surroundings while using your devices. There have been many cases in which cyber-criminals have stolen an ID, password or a piece of confidential information simply by spying on a person out in public. Be discrete when entering your ID and passwords, especially when you are surrounded by strangers.
- Notify Xavier if a theft or loss occurs. If a laptop or mobile device is lost or stolen, contact the Xavier Helpdesk at 513-745-HELP (4357). They can assist you with remote wiping a smart phone, if deemed necessary.