Following the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire world is looking forward to getting back to traveling abroad! Airports and hotels are opening up again all over the world, and they are desperate for the tourism industry to start picking up again. In 2023, the world’s economy is going to benefit from tourists and digital nomads who are eager to travel the world and explore while they still can.
Traveling always comes with some risks, but many people don’t know that the biggest risks they might face when traveling are their devices. Cybercrime is always more frequent abroad because our devices are much more exposed than they are at home. If you don’t keep your devices secure while you travel abroad, you could be putting yourself at serious risk.
All you need is a handy cybersecurity tool that will become an essential traveling companion. The tool that you need to use is a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs are the best traveling tools because they keep your devices protected and secure while you’re abroad. However, they also come with some incredible benefits that you’re going to need if you’re traveling to a foreign country. Keep reading to find out more about the dangers of traveling abroad, and why a VPN is the perfect traveling companion for your device.
The Dangers of Traveling Abroad
When traveling to foreign countries people usually need to rely on public WiFi hotspots found at airports, hotels, and restaurants. These hotspots are incredibly cheap and convenient, especially for travelers who can’t use mobile data due to the expensive roaming costs.
While it might be convenient, these hotspots usually use unsecured networks. Unsecured networks are extremely dangerous and can put your devices at serious risk. Cunning cybercriminals can listen in on your devices as they send and receive data through the internet. This allows them to steal crucial data like your personal information, credit card details, and even your login credentials.
The biggest problem with this concept is that it can happen anywhere, even in the comfort of your hotel room! Whether you’re updating your social media feeds, video calling friends and family back home, or planning your activities for the next day, you’re going to need to connect to the WiFi somewhere. If you do connect to WiFi, you need to make sure that your devices are protected by a powerful cybersecurity tool.
Use This Cybersecurity Tool
The cybersecurity tool that you need to keep your devices secure on an unsecured network is a virtual private network, which is also known as a VPN for short. The main purpose of a VPN is to encrypt your internet connection, which is exactly what you need! When your internet connection is encrypted by a VPN, you can browse the internet without having to worry about your data being intercepted by cybercriminals.
VPNs are so powerful that you can even hide your internet activity from the government and your internet service provider. In other words, this is truly the perfect cybersecurity tool for privacy and security online. No one can keep track of your browsing history, and you can browse the internet completely anonymously.
VPNs also allow you to connect to secure global servers that are situated in other countries and cities around the world. This is the feature that brings even more benefits to using a VPN while traveling. It’s also the reason why VPNs have become so popular in recent years.
When you connect to one of these VPN servers, your real IP address will be hidden from any websites that you visit. An IP address is a string of numbers that is unique to each device and it acts as an identifier for your device. The main role of an IP address is to pinpoint your device’s location. When you connect to a VPN server, your internet traffic is routed through the server, which allows your device to adopt the IP address of the server that you have connected to. This allows you to spoof your location and trick websites into thinking that you’re accessing the internet from the server’s location.
Using this feature, you can bypass strict internet censorship laws that are employed by some countries around the world. Some governments will block websites based on religious or political reasons. It can be frustrating for tourists, especially when visiting a country that blocks social media websites and search engines like Google.
You may also experience geo-blocking restrictions if you’re traveling abroad. Accessing streaming sites like Netflix, Sky Sports, and even some news websites can be difficult because of the restrictions that are put in place. If you’re running into geo-blocking restrictions, all you need to do is connect to a server in the country where the stream is based and you can bypass these digital fences.
VPNs can also help you to get cheaper flights and accommodation for your journey. Websites that allow you to book flights and accommodation often discriminate against users based on their location. If you’re accessing the website from a first-world country, the prices will be inflated because they have stronger currencies and the residents have bigger salaries which gives them more disposable income. This allows the booking websites to increase their profit margins while still making sales. Try connecting to a server in a third-world country, or in the country you are planning on visiting to see how the prices fluctuate!
Finding the Perfect VPN
There are hundreds of different VPNs available on the market, and each one is unique. You must use the correct VPN if you want the best possible experience. There is one golden rule that you always need to follow.
As long as you’re using a premium VPN you’re in the clear. It might be tempting to use a free VPN, but they come with some serious disadvantages. Free VPNs have slower connection speeds, intrusive ads, fewer global servers to choose from, weaker encryption technology, and daily bandwidth limitations.
