Protect Your Online Identity

It used to be that all you had to worry about losing when you traveled was your luggage, your wallet, and your passport. With all the new technology, however, you actually have much more to lose. The problem is that when you log onto the Internet you may inadvertently be connecting with a cyber thief.

If you’re using a shared computer in a hotel, you could be leaving a cyber trail. Both Apple and Microsoft include tools for covering your tracks. (On Apple’s Safari browser menu, toggle “Private Browsing.” When you log off Microsoft Explorer go to Tools and click on Delete Browsing History to remove your passwords and the websites you’ve visited.) But that may not be enough because there may already be malware (malicious software) someone else has put in place to grab your passwords and other information.

And logging onto an open wireless network (in a hotel, a coffee shop, or any of the many locations that offer “free wi-fi) from your own laptop may be even more risky. Anyone who has a computer with a wireless card and who is in proximity to the network you’re using, can easily hack into your e-mail account while you’re online and steal your personal information. Now that many airplanes offer wi-fi access, this is also a concern for flyers, because the hacker could be only a few seats away.

One solution is to create an e-mail account and a unique password that you use only when traveling. You’ll be able to stay in touch with friends and family. (Don’t use it for shopping or banking, which would defeat the purpose.) Then, if someone should hack into the account, they may be able to read your mail but they won’t have access to anything that’s really important.