How do you protect your gear and data (aka your livelihood) when you're travelling the world?

InformationSecurityForNomads.md

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Information Security for Nomads

How to protect your gear and data (aka your livelihood) while travelling the world?

Passwords

• Use a password manager
  • Dashlane: Never forget another password | Dashlane
  • 1password: Password Manager for Families, Businesses, Teams | 1Password
  • LastPass (don't use LastPass anymore, they have been hacked real bad, use this tutorial to migrate from LastPass to 1Password
• Synchronize your password manager between devices
• Change passwords for all your accounts
  • start with email accounts
  • then all connecting accounts (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
  • then all accounts where your credit card is registered (iTunes, etc.)
  • then change all the other
• Use 2-factor authentication on email and other accounts (whenever possible) and prefer to avoid SMS 2FA if possible
  • Yubikey
  • your password manager

Data

• remote backup
  • The Best Unlimited Online Backup and Cloud Storage Services
• encrypt hard drive
  • Mac: FileVault (What to do when FileVault won’t turn on | Macworld)
  • Windows:
    • BitLocker should be on by default

Internet connection

• antivirus
  • don't bother with this. It rarely adds value
• use a VPN
  • VPNs are useful for bypassing censorship or geo restrictions but don't provide any security

Gear

• laptop finder
  • HiddenApp: Find & Recover Lost or Stolen Macs, MacBooks, iPhones and iPads | Hidden App
  • Prey: Track & find your stolen phones, laptops & tablets | Prey Anti theft
• use a webcam cover, it’s useful: https://www.amazon.com/EYSOFT-Webcam-Cover-0-7Mm-Thin/dp/B075FCNF4B/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1551155460&sr=1-3&keywords=webcam+cover
• Lock your devices
  • Biometric is best
  • At least 6-digit PIN
  • You need a PIN, really!
• AirTags
• Theft-proof backpack: XD Design Bobby

Financials

• Credit cards
  • Revolut
  • N26
  • Wise
• Crypto-currencies
  • Ledger sells an excellent Bluetooth hardware wallet that you can use with your smartphone, the Ledger Nano X, that I use personally. And here is a video that explains how to set up and use a Ledger Nano X.
  • Trezor
  • CryptoSteel: to back up your mnemonic in the safest way possible, or create a cold wallet
  • Exodus
  • Coinbase Wallet
  • never forgot the golden rule of the blockchain: If it can be done with the blockchain it could be done better without!

Best practices:

• if you create a new account, use your password manager’s browser extension to generate a unique random password systematically
• you can use your password manager to store your credit card numbers, it’s much safer than inputting them manually in a public place where there might be security cameras around, or people watching over your shoulder
• never open an attachment you receive from somebody you don’t trust, even what appears to be an image or a movie
• never answer an email that asks you for your password or some other secret info, it’s most likely phishing. Your bank or technical support will never ask you for that over email or even phone.
• Avoid writing your credit card details in an email or on paper (rentals)
• if you give your password to someone for help, change it right away after, even if you trust your friend not to use it themselves, you don’t know how they will protect it from others
• you can check if some of your accounts have been compromised and if your private data is circulating out there on this website: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
• one of the most common hacking techniques is social engineering: somebody calls you or sends you an email pretending to be someone else or some trusted service, and asks you for your login information or password or other personal info. Take into account that companies will never ask you for this kind of personal information over email or phone, and if they do, you should not work with them. Double check any email, any link, any phone call that asks you for your credentials or personal information.
• Beware of random USB keys!
• Never share a picture of your boarding passes, especially if they show the QRCode on it. It usually contains a lot of personal information, some of which can be used to impersonate you on airline websites, cancel your reservation, upgrade you with your miles without you knowing, see your other reservations, etc. For more information, see this article.
• If you are not sure about the wifi at your Airbnb or some other place, or if you want to make sure there are no hidden cameras, you can use Fing to scan your network