As summer approaches, some of us might head to faraway locations for a vacation. Others may have work-related travel abroad. Before you leave, take some steps to keep both yourself and your data safe and secure.

• Keep yourself safe

Penn Global’s Global Activities Registry is a great resource for Penn-affiliated travel abroad: https://global.upenn.edu/travel-guidance/register-your-trip

Review current advisories from the U.S. State Department for your country fo travel: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html

• Keep your data secure

If you travel with devices, especially to international destinations, be sure to secure your data. Install antivirus/anti-spyware software on your smartphones, tablets and laptops before you go. Did you know that some unfriendly governments abroad may try to hack your devices? Safeguard your personal and Penn work-related data by perhaps not bringing them with you! If you really need to do work for Penn on your trip, consider bringing alternate “sanitized” devices that don’t have any sensitive data and that you can wipe and restore when you return home. Consult with your IT support group for assistance.

In the U.S., you and/or belongings may be searched at border crossings, including international airport arrivals. While rare, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents may ask you to unlock your devices to analyze them. If you refuse, CBP could detain you and seize your devices to search and extract data from them, and it may be weeks before you see your equipment again. Bringing “sanitized” devices for travel abroad means less headache for you if those devices are seized, when your personal and Penn-owned data are not on those devices in the first place.

For more information:

https://global.upenn.edu

https://travel.state.gov/travelsafely

https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/ symantec-endpoint-protection

https://www.isc.upenn.edu/get-it-help