The Importance of Maintaining Mobile Security During Business Travel
Once upon a time business travel meant being largely disconnected from whatever was going on back at the home office. Besides calling to check your messages, most things just had to wait until you returned. Today, you are never far from home, and never far from work, especially when you are on a business trip.
As a business traveler, your mobile devices are your lifelines. Your phone, laptop, and tablet keep you connected to everything that is going on at your office or around the world. But with this convenience comes additional dangers as well. After all, you carry virtually all your important (and often confidential) information around with you when you travel. From bank information to work files to health records, you now have vital information in the palm of your hand. This convenience also puts that information at risk. Now, traveling for business means taking with you both business and personal data that needs to be secure at all times.
Mobile Apps
In addition to whatever data you keep stored in your devices, there is also the issue of mobile applications that are integral to business travel. You may use an app like TripIt or Hotel Tonight to book your travel. That data is essential to ensuring a smooth trip and has confirmation numbers, contact information, and possibly even credit card data. There are also apps like Concur that can help ease your return home by tracking and reporting reimbursable or deductible expenses.
You also need to stay connected to your office and probably use file sharing apps like DropBox to keep presentations and proposals easily accessible. This is certainly information you do not want falling into the wrong hands.
Tips for Securing Mobile Data
There is no question that modern business travelers utilize mobile devices and have a need to keep their data secure. But what is the best way to make sure your information is not stolen or otherwise compromised?
Use Passwords
No matter how careful you are, there are no guarantees that your mobile devices will not become lost or be stolen at some point. Always use the password feature on your device. While some thieves may be able to get past a security code, it is an important place to start.
Take Photos
Paper documents are a thing of the past, but if you are carrying them, it is a good idea to take a photo of the document and save it in your phone. This way if an important presentation is lost, you can always retrieve the information by looking at the photos. Your mobile devices can act as a makeshift scanner that can save you in uncertain circumstances.
Mobile Backup
If your device is stolen, you want to know what was on it. Be sure to back up your phone and tablet on a regular basis as a precaution against theft or damage.
In many cases, individual apps may offer a layer of security to protect your data. Often, this is designed to protect secure business information and not necessarily private and personal data. How can you go about your personal data too? Simple: RecordVault.
When your data is important to you, you will go to great lengths to protect it. RecordVault lets you protect all the data on your phone so that even if the phone is lost or stolen, no one else will be able to access your data. RecordVault is a perfect solution for business travelers because it protects both business and personal data in all situations.
Traveling for business can be understandably stressful, even more so now that your personal information could be at risk. Take the time to learn and invest in your information security and when the time comes, you will be glad you did.