The increasing importance of our digital lives means that we must also incorporate digital security into our considerations while traveling abroad. In previous parts of this series, we have highlighted the vulnerabilities associated with crossing international borders and how a range of malign actors, including criminals and foreign intelligence services, can use the opportunity to view the contents of your devices — or even install hostile code that gives them access to the devices. Using public Wi-Fi connections also comes with considerable risks, whether it is in an airport, hotel, convention center, or coffee shop. While traveling abroad, it is important to keep in mind the value of your digital profile to criminals, intelligence, and other hostile actors, who are becoming more and more likely to target your devices or online identity than to target you physically.

Practicing good digital hygiene while traveling abroad means using discretion when choosing what devices to bring with you as well as when choosing what to share online. It can be dangerous to provide too many details of your travel plans or other personal data on social media. Sharing information about an upcoming trip on Facebook or posting images of yourself while on vacation in Mexico can make it easier for someone to target you, or your home and other possessions while you are away. Travelers should therefore be sure to adjust the privacy settings on their social media accounts before travel to ensure only trusted people can view their details. (Keeping your social media accounts private and unviewable to the general public at all times, for that matter, makes for good digital hygiene.) Travelers can lower their profiles even more by waiting to post images and details of their trip until they have gotten home.

When considering international travel with electronic devices, it is important to understand that some commonly used electronic devices and services are restricted in certain countries, and using them exposes travelers to legal troubles, including fines and even arrest. For example, satellite phones are illegal in Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, and Nigeria, among other countries. Russia, India, and others also have laws regulating satellite-enabled devices, including personal tracking devices such as SPOT. Meanwhile, many Western social media outlets and email services are not available in China, and there are strict regulations on using virtual private networks to get around such bans. For their part, Nigeria and India have recently put restrictions on the use of Twitter, causing potential disruptions for users in those countries. And amid these more specific legal restrictions, dozens of countries have permanently or temporarily suspended access to a variety of online services due to political unrest, reports of fake news or even to discourage cheating during national exams. Before you travel, be sure to understand what local laws regulate certain devices and services that you intend to rely upon while traveling, and plan for disruptions to service before travel to avoid disruptions or legal trouble abroad.