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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1190434
Keep Yourself Safe During This Holiday Travel Season By Securemac.com On this issue, we will tell you what to do before you even walk out the door, how to protect yourself while you're traveling, and what things to bear in mind when you reach your destination. All my bags are packed — ready to go? Staying safe during holiday travel isn't all that difficult, but there are some basic precautions that people often overlook — and a number of these are things that should be done before the actual trip even begins. So as you're packing your bags and wrapping the last of the gifts, make sure to do the following as well: Update everything Malicious actors are always looking to take advantage of vulnerabilities, which have been discovered in operating systems and major software products. Of course, the companies responsible for securing these technologies are well aware of that, which is why they task their security teams and engineers with releasing patches and updates as soon as possible. But if you aren't regularly updating your systems and apps, all those vulnerabilities are just waiting, unpatched, for someone to exploit. So take a moment to update your OS and software — both on your laptop and your mobile devices — as you're packing your bags. And don't forget to do this with your antivirus software as well. Well-supported security software will be regularly updated with the latest malware definitions so that it knows what to look for when it scans your system — but if you've neglected to update your antivirus product, it's not going to be as effective as possible (after all, it can't detect what it doesn't know about). So take a moment to update security apps as well. Turn on theft protection When you're going to be in a lot of unfamiliar places — or places with large crowds of tourists and travelers — you'll already be facing an increased risk of theft. In addition, you're likely to be rushed and distracted during holiday travel, further increasing the chances of a stolen laptop or cell phone. And of course, beyond the risk of crime, there's also the fact that we tend to lose things when we travel! That's why it's important to activate your device's tracking and anti-theft features. For newer macOS and iOS devices, this is now accomplished through the "Find My" app. Find My can help you locate a missing device (even when it's offline) and will let you lock it down remotely if you think it's been stolen. You can find complete instructions on how to enable Find My on Apple's support site. Android has a Find My Device feature for its users as well. And if you're using a Windows machine, Microsoft also offers a similar functionality.