"The willingness of US scientists and scholars to engage in academic exchange make US travelers particularly vulnerable not only to standard electronic monitoring devices – installed in hotel rooms or conference centers – but also to simple approaches to foreigners trained to ask the right questions."
---Annual Report to Congress on Foreign Economic Collection and Industrial Espionage, 2003.
The UWSP Information Security Office and Information Technology strongly recommends that when traveling on university business you take the following measures to ensure your personal data safety and the security of University information.
Steps To Take Before Traveling
- Plan to travel with a "loaner" checkout laptop. You can check out a laptop from the IT Service Desk. Traveling with a generic checkout laptop limits the amount of data at risk if your laptop is lost, stolen or searched. Do not take your dedicated UWSP laptop or personal home laptop when traveling.
- Limit the number of personal devices you take and back them up securely at home. Device confiscation or inspection is possible in many countries.
- Ensure that you are not using the same password for your University and personal accounts. If you are using your UWSP password for other accounts you should change your UWSP password so it is unique to that account.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws and security. Understanding a country’s legal expectations - particularly around technology, devices, encryption, and Internet use - is essential for safe and compliant travel. Visit the U.S. State Department's web site to obtain information about the safety and security of the country you are visiting and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important messages from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
TIP: Do a Microsoft Copilot Search for, "When traveling abroad, how can I familiarize myself with local laws, especially laws related to digital security."
During Your Stay
- Have no expectation of privacy. Eavesdropping is routine in some countries. Limit electronic and face-to-face discussion of sensitive information. If possible, wait to discuss sensitive matters upon return or using a known secure mechanism.
- Treat "courtesy" and shared electronic devices as compromised. Do not use computers or faxes at foreign hotels or business centers for sensitive matters. Do not allow foreign storage devices e.g. USB, CDs, etc. to be connected to your computer or phone.
- Always carry your electronic devices with you. Do not leave your devices unattended (e.g in your hotel room, in hotel safes, in your checked baggage). Do not ask someone to "watch it" for you.
- Disable your device's network capabilities when not in use. Turn off Bluetooth and Wifi capability on your device when you are not using these services. Consider turning off your cellular phone when it is not in use - particularly if you have a data plan enabled.
- Avoid accessing systems with sensitive or restricted information. This is particularly advisable in countries where there is no expectation of privacy. See the U.S. State Department's web site for country specific issues. In general, when accessing University systems while traveling, minimize the length of time and amount of information accessed.
- Immediately report loss or theft of University electronic devices or suspected theft of information to the Information Technology Service Desk by calling (715) 346-4357 or email: help@uwsp.edu.
When You Return
- Change passwords for all systems you accessed while traveling.