HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned about the dangers of sharing photos of themselves while either on holiday or in the airport preparing to leave.
An “airport selfie,” or photos of boarding passes and passports, are a popular way for people to show off to their friends about their upcoming holiday.
GettySharing an airport selfie can let thieves know that you’re not at home[/caption]
However, a boarding pass contains personal information that can help hackers ruin a vacation.
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN said that there are some important reasons why people shouldn’t share pictures from the airport.
He said: “Even if only the barcode of your flight ticket is visible in the picture, hackers can scan it and find out such information as a traveller’s full name, reservation number, passenger name record, and sometimes even contact information.
“This data can later be used by the hacker to ruin a traveller’s vacation by cancelling their return flights, stealing money from their payment cards, or even stealing their identity.”
Adrianus also pointed out that sharing holiday photos was a surefire way for people to let others know that there’s nobody home.
He continued: “Always post photos after you are back from vacation. It’s better to hold off posting photos or information that indicates you’re vacationing while you’re away.
“Don’t let your followers know your home is empty at the moment.”
He also recommended a few other simple methods for people to remain safe online while they’re away on holiday.
Private settings
One of the most important pieces of information to know before you post anything online is who you’re sharing your information with.
Make sure that your account settings are set to private and your posts are visible to your friends only instead of everyone on the internet.
Personal information
Remove personal details, such as your home address and telephone number, from your profile pages because there, they are easily accessible by anyone.
Don’t make status updates sharing your location. And never ever post photos of your passport, plane tickets, or any other documents.
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Public Wi-Fi
If you eventually decide to post anything online while abroad, ensure your connection is secure. Cafes, shops, and even hotels offer unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Users need to be especially cautious when connecting to these networks because they are easily monitored.
Hackers may position themselves as a Wi-Fi hotspot or use special software to steal data from unprotected networks.
One of the best ways to safely use public Wi-Fi is by installing a VPN.
Meanwhile, using the hotel USB slots could also be risky.
And this is why your phone should always be charged when you board a plane.
GettyPhotos of documents like passports and boarding passes can get holidaymakers in trouble[/caption]