Be digital-aware even during holidays

As an SME entrepreneur, you are probably busy with your business even during your holidays. In today’s age, you can be online anywhere and anytime, but we recommend doing so consciously. Using public Wi-Fi networks is tempting and advantageous, especially on holiday, only it is not safe and in the long run it can cause your business a lot of (financial) damage.

Access to free Wi-Fi is available everywhere, through public Wi-Fi networks in cafes, airports or shopping malls. Unfortunately, these networks are often not encrypted and making it easy for cybercriminals to intercept your data. If you decide to work through a public Wi-Fi network, not only are your personal data available to criminals, but also your business data, with all the consequences that entails.

Hackers can position themselves between your devices and the Wi-Fi router in so-called Man-in-the-Middle attacks, where they can intercept all traffic and steal sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers. In addition, they can set up fake Wi-Fi networks similar to those free Wi-Fi networks. Once you connect to these, they can access all your internet traffic.

Use your mobile network

Wifi networks in hotels are usually protected with passwords. Still, you cannot use these without risk, as these networks do not apply individual encryption for each user. This means that other guests on the same network could potentially intercept your internet traffic. And so can cybercriminals.

You are better off using a mobile network (4/5G) or a mobile hotspot. This acts as a private Wi-Fi shield and provides a secure connection for online activities. Another option is to use a VPN connection, which encrypts all internet traffic, making it much harder for cybercriminals to intercept data. We would be happy to help you set up a VPN connection, including for your employees.

Update your devices

It is also wise to perform updates to your smartphone, laptop and/or tablet before you leave. Updates contain important security patches that protect your devices from the latest threats. It is also wise to turn your devices off and on for a while daily to clear temporary files and malicious processes.

Also make your employees aware of the dangers of using the public Wi-Fi network, especially when they access company applications with their private devices.

Have you been hacked, or do you feel you have been using an insecure network? Contact us immediately, we are happy to help you, even at your holiday address.