Privacy and gaming while traveling

I often have to travel outside of the US for business, and I still like to be active in my online gaming communities during my down time. However, I have become so freaked out about my security/privacy on the internet while traveling. Aside from the obvious spyware/malware/antivirus protection, are there any steps I can take to further protect myself while I game/travel?

You really shouldn't ever be logging into any of your banking websites while using a public internet provider like wifi.

To be as secure as possible, you should have a seperate dedicated computer that is only used for banking and nothing else ever to protect it from any malware/viruses/keyloggers etc.

Thats what i do, i have a computer that is a fresh install, it has nothing on it installed. Its only used to log into my banking site, then log off. Its as clean and safe as i can get. Consider your laptop you are taking on the road with you as a compromised device and don't trust it with anything other than things you don't care about.

You may want to think about encrypting the entire hard drive on your laptop as well using VeraCrypt. That way if someone steals your laptop, they can't see a single file on your computer unless they can unlock it with the encryption password. It all depends on how sensitive the information is on your laptop.

VPN is also good, but don't log into your banking sites with it enabled, the bank will lock your account thinking its being hacked. Also use caution playing online games with a VPN enabled, these are random IPs they change each time you login, a gaming company may get suspicious and ban or lock your account similar to what a banking site will do.

Moving to General Discussion. OT is for non-gaming related topics.

I also travel for work. What kind of gaming are you talking about? Are you traveling with a gaming laptop?

-Byshop

Remember to use firewall/antivirus program. Do not visit any strange sites while traveling and never use any wifi connection you don´t know for certain.

Also change pw before you travel and change it back after.

Other than that just be cautious.

Secure Networks should be fine, any open source wifi like at fast food places etc. should be avoided. If unsure just game offline and then only sign on when a secure network is available. Also making sure your device isn't open to local networks unless manually logged on will help. But basically when in doubt stay offline. But if you're on a secure Network like in a hotel and have standard protection, up to date and don't allow anything you aren't sure of then you should be fine.

I limit my gaming with a laptop to my hotel room or at the hosts I'm staying with. I trust enough the WiFi at 5-star hotels. A number also have wired Ethernet in addition to WiFi. Anywhere else? Nope.

When traveling you should always be extra cautious in my opinion. To start you want to make sure your antivirus software is up to date before leaving, and make sure you won't be due to renew while you are out (I personally avoid using my credit cards online when I am out if at all possible). I would also delete any browsing history and make sure you have any passwords or credit cards that are stored on your computer erased, just incase your computer gets stolen (worst case scenario). You also want to connect to secure WiFi when possible. I know this can be hard depending on where you are at though, so another step you can take is to use a VPN. Personally I think you should do your own research on this because there are a ton of VPNs out there, and what you get will depend on your needs and budget. One suggestion would be to not go with a free one because you get what you pay for and when it comes to your privacy I wouldn't trust anything that's free, that goes for antivirus software. Just try Googling "VPN review" and you will have a ton of great sites to check out. I hope this helps!

My main tip would be to be very careful where you connect to the internet. Wifi hot spots etc are a security nightmare and they are rife with nasties. I also agree, don't go with anything free. It's usually free for a reason... there are some horror stories out there about free antvirus etc.

@abs504: Thanks for the great advice. I am going to do all of that because I believe there is no such thing as being too careful. With regards to vpn (I am not too familiar with it but have heard it mentioned before), I did google what you said and came across this https://securethoughts.com/vpn-review/

You seem like you know what you are talking about with regards to this, so is this a good place to start?

@jun_aka_pekto: That is sound advice. I am not sure if accomodations have been booked yet, so perhaps I need to stress the importance of 5 star for privacy/security reasons. Thank you!

@Jacanuk: Great tip about changing the passwords before and after. Noted, thanks!

@Byshop: Oops so sorry. I didn't even realize this until after the fact. You can obviously tell I am a newbie. The laptop is not solely or even specifically for gaming. It's a MBP and is used for both gaming and business purposes.

@techienista Yes, I think that is a great place to start so you can make the best choice for your needs. Also, keep in mind what @Yams1980 said about not logging onto your bank account when using a VPN (though you should avoid any time you are using a public network). Good luck!

@techienista: I travel a lot as well though not around the US. Usually through train or airport.

I would not recommend using a form of P.C. or Mac during travels. Have devices such as that fully shut-down. Even if you feel work is needed to be done, during travel you are putting yourself and your company at risk_

For games.I tend to use a 3DS as my gaming companion. It's small, easy to keep hold, has great games, and network privacy isn't really an issue. You can find similar with Sony handhelds but they cost more and offer less quality games.

@Yams1980: Wow, this was especially helpful! Thank you so much. I am definitely going to look into VeraCrypt. I certainly don't want to be putting my company at risk by giving some stranger access to it.

@RSM-HQ: Thank you. I've got to look into a 3DS. Someone else had mentioned it to me before, but I'll definitely check it out now. I appreciate the help.

@abs504: Thanks again! I really appreciate all the great advice.