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Devastating Data Breaches – Part 2: Marriott’s Merger Misfire

In the relatively short history of data breaches, most have followed a similar pattern. Generally, some bad actor gains access to classified data, and then leaks names, phone numbers, birthdates, and other semi-private pieces of information. While breaches like this can certainly have a negative impact on a business, the consequences aren’t as severe for the consumer when only semi-private information leaks. After all, bad actors can only do so much with a name and corresponding phone number. However, the consequences become much more serious when private data is lost. If information like credit card numbers, passwords, and social security numbers are leaked, it can have devastating financial consequences for those affected. Unfortunately, that is exactly what occurred in the case of the Marriott data breach in 2018.

In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, AXEL is writing about some of the worst leaks, data breaches, and ransomware attacks in history. Follow along all October long to learn about what went wrong, what could’ve been done, and how companies responded to devastating data breaches. 

The Background

In November 2015, Marriott made a massive purchase, announcing its bid to buy Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Following a bidding war, Marriott eventually acquired the hotel chain for USD $13.6 billion [1]. Hotels previously under the Starwood brand include Westin, Sheraton, and other luxury hotels popular with business travelers. This merger ultimately made Marriott the world’s largest hotel chain, with over 5,700 properties worldwide following the acquisition [2]. Unfortunately, Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood did not only include Starwood’s hotel properties, but its outdated cybersecurity infrastructure as well.

In 2014, a bad actor gained access to Starwood’s network and began to extract customer data from the company’s reservation system. Starwood’s network was already seen as particularly susceptible in 2014, and cybercriminals seized on that opportunity [3]. However, this attack went unnoticed for years, even as Starwood was being acquired by Marriott. In fact, most of Starwood’s information technology and security staff were laid off following the merger [3]. Ultimately, this created the perfect storm for the hackers; an outdated, compromised reservation system with little security to watch over them. Even after the merger, Marriott still used Starwood’s reservation system for its former properties, continuing to put customer data at risk. And in 2018, that risk became realized.

The Breach

In September 2018, Marriott’s cybersecurity team found a suspicious attempt to gain access to Starwood’s guest reservation database. After investigating, Marriott found that bad actors had gained access, encrypted the guest reservation data, and extracted that data over four years [3]. Ultimately, Marriott estimated that 500 million guest records had been leaked. Even worse, the records contained highly personal information, including credit card numbers and passport numbers.

Worst of all, however, the breach was entirely preventable. While Starwood did encrypt credit card numbers on its server, it kept the encryption keys on the same server, making it painfully easy for the cybercriminals to extract the data [3]. Additionally, the majority of passport numbers were not encrypted at all. Combined with Starwood and Marriott failing to recognize or change its poor cybersecurity, this was a cyberattack that simply would not have happened if not for the negligence of the companies involved.

Eventually, investigators determined that the perpetrators of the cyberattack were Chinese state actors [4]. While most cyberattacks are committed by criminals who wish to sell the leaked data and make a quick buck, this attack had a very different purpose. Investigators hypothesize that China wished to track the movement and gain information on American businesspeople, military personnel, and diplomats. Ultimately, Chinese officials wished to gain this information to find potential candidates to approach to become spies for China [4]. This made the leaked passport numbers, a rarity in most data breaches, particularly valuable for the perpetrators of the cyberattack.

Lessons From the Attack

Following the breach, Marriott faced criticism from individuals and governments alike. While class action lawsuits originated in the United States mostly failed to gain traction in court, Marriott faced a myriad of fines overseas. In fact, Marriott was fined GBP £18.4 million, or approximately USD $25 million, for violating the General Data Protection Regulation, the EU’s overarching privacy law [5]. However, many of the expenses related to the attack were covered by Marriott’s cybersecurity insurance, a growing industry due to the sheer prevalence of cyberattacks in modern times [3].

While cybersecurity insurance incurred many of the costs, irreparable harm was done to Marriott’s image due to its mistakes. First and foremost, the company’s decision to continue using an outdated, vulnerable reservation system even after the merger proved to be catastrophic. While business mergers are undoubtedly a time of great turmoil, the negligence of Marriott’s cybersecurity is unforgivable, as it put millions at risk. Additionally, Marriott’s poor encryption made the data easy to find and extract. While some businesses are simply unlucky when it comes to cyberattacks, Marriott did not suffer because of bad luck, but its own negligence.

Protect Your Data with AXEL Go

Using a secure file storage system is the key to protecting your data from breaches and ransomware attacks. That’s where AXEL Go comes in. Offering military-grade encryption and decentralized blockchain technology, AXEL Go is the best way to protect yourself and your business from unauthorized cybercriminals. With devastating cyberattacks not going away any time soon, secure file-sharing is a necessity for businesses and individuals. If you’re ready to get the best protection, try two free weeks of AXEL Go here.

[1] Smith, Aaron. “Marriott Starwood Merger Creates World’s Biggest Hotel Company.” CNNMoney. November 16, 2015. https://money.cnn.com/2015/11/16/investing/marriott-starwood-hotel/index.html.

[2] “Meet the Biggest Hotel Chains in the World.” Hospitality News & Business Insights by EHL. https://hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/biggest-hotel-chains.

[3] Fruhlinger, Josh. “Marriott Data Breach FAQ: How Did It Happen and What Was the Impact?” CSO Online. February 12, 2020. https://www.csoonline.com/article/3441220/marriott-data-breach-faq-how-did-it-happen-and-what-was-the-impact.html.

[4] Nakashima, Ellen, and Craig Timberg. “U.S. Investigators Point to China in Marriott Hack Affecting 500 Million Guests.” The Washington Post. December 12, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/12/us-investigators-point-china-marriott-hack-affecting-million-travelers/.

[5] “ICO Fines Marriott International Inc £18.4million for failing to Keep Customers’ Personal Data Secure.” ICO. October 30, 2020. https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/news-and-blogs/2020/10/ico-fines-marriott-international-inc-184million-for-failing-to-keep-customers-personal-data-secure/.

Everywhere is the New Office: The Rise of Digital Nomads

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to at-home work was swift. Never before had so many workers been forced to work from a new location, with new software to learn, in such a short period of time. But after a few months of at-home work, a weird thing happened: Workers began to adore remote work compared to the traditional office. Although it took getting used to, now, 77% of workers prefer working remotely versus working in an office [1]. But now, with the pandemic under (some) control, workers are still figuring out ways to continue working from anywhere. This desire has led to an increase of “digital nomads” across the country, and the world.

Digital nomads are location-independent workers who travel often, while still getting work done due to consistent Internet availability. While digital nomads are nothing new, the popularity of the practice exploded during the pandemic. In fact, in 2020, the number of digital nomads in the United States reached 10.9 million, up 50% from 2019 [2]. With more businesses offering indefinite remote work, the practice will likely spread further as well. Because of its ever-growing popularity, it’s fair to ask: Is this the future of work? 

Why do Digital Nomads Love Their Jobs?

First and foremost, digital nomads (and at-home workers in general) like their work method because it allows a better work-life balance [3]. This includes taking more breaks, feeling less pressure and no more commutes. All of these perks are quite beneficial for remote workers, including digital nomads. It allows workers to continue earning an income, while also saying goodbye to some of the more stressful facets of traditional office jobs. For many of these digital nomads, remote work is a no-brainer. After all, if offices allow for remote work, why not enjoy these perks? The problem, however, is that not all offices want remote work to become permanent.

Numerous prominent business leaders have voiced their opposition to permanent remote work. Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings stated that he sees “no positives” regarding remote work, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said that remote work was “an aberration we’re going to correct as soon as possible [4].” So while remote work offers a multitude of benefits to digital nomads, it isn’t guaranteed their lifestyle will last forever. While some business leaders, such as Mark Zuckerberg [4], have sung the praises of remote work, the practice is far from universally admired.

However, it won’t be easy to rope digital nomads back into the office. After all, remote workers have the leverage right now. In 2020, efficiency actually increased, even though workers had to navigate the newfound difficulties of remote work [5]. With this information in mind, workers know that they are valuable, efficient employees. More importantly, business leaders know they are valuable and efficient as well. So while anti-remote work CEOs may want a return to the traditional office, making it a requirement risks losing employees to businesses more open to remote work.

The Digital Nomad Economy

Even some businesses have begun to market themselves to digital nomads. For example, Airbnb has shifted its focus from short-term vacation rentals to longer-term “workcations.” In fact, the number of long-term Airbnb stays nearly doubled in 2020 compared to 2019 [2]. And with more businesses becoming open to permanent remote work, this sector of the economy will continue to grow, adding even more benefits to remote work.

Put simply, remote work offers significantly more freedom for workers compared to office work. And for digital nomads, it’s about more than just freedom of location. Working remotely allows employees to get their tasks done on their time. With no supervisors looking over your shoulder or gossipy coworkers to worry about, employees can focus more on their work. With this increase of personal freedom for workers, it’s no wonder why efficiency jumped in 2020.

The Drawbacks of Remote Work

However, with this freedom comes responsibility as well. Without a boss or coworkers to surround you during work hours, temptations can arise. After all, what’s stopping workers from taking a two-hour break in the middle of the day? Additionally, remote work can actually cause worse work-life balance as well, as the lines between home-life and work-life can be blurred. Finally, security could be compromised by remote work as well. In fact, that’s partially why Apple CEO Tim Cook has been so enthusiastic about a return to offices [6].

Remote work offers a myriad of benefits for workers, with just a few drawbacks. Thankfully, there are ways to mitigate those drawbacks, particularly regarding security. Even better, most of these techniques are simple for remote workers, no matter where they are. First, ensuring that your software is up-to-date is the best (and easiest) way to protect yourself and your business. Bad actors typically attack through older versions of software, so keeping it up-to-date will minimize the risk of you becoming a target. Next, avoiding public wi-fi networks is another key tip. Public networks are prone to malware and can infect your computer, harming you and your business.

Protect Yourself with AXEL

Finally, using a secure file-sharing system is key to protecting your most vital files from data breaches and ransomware attacks. That’s where AXEL Go comes in. Offering industry-leading encryption and decentralized blockchain technology, AXEL Go is the best way to protect yourself and your business from unauthorized cybercriminals. In a world where remote work is becoming the norm, secure file-sharing is a necessity for any business. If you’re ready to try the best protection, get two free weeks of AXEL Go here. 

[1] Ballard, Jamie. “Most Remote Employees Don’t Want to Return to the Workplace after the Pandemic.” YouGov. January 19, 2021.  https://today.yougov.com/topics/economy/articles-reports/2021/01/19/remote-employees-work-from-home-poll.

[2] Lufkin, Bryan. “Is the Great Digital-nomad Workforce Actually Coming?” BBC Worklife. June 15, 2021. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210615-is-the-great-digital-nomad-workforce-actually-coming.

[3] Courtney, Emily. “The Benefits of Working From Home Beyond the Pandemic: FlexJobs.” FlexJobs Job Search Tips and Blog. September 03, 2021. https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/benefits-of-remote-work/.

[4] Kelly, Jack. “How CEOs And Workers Feel About Working Remotely Or Returning To The Office.” Forbes. March 19, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/03/19/how-ceos-and-workers-feel-about-working-remotely-or-returning-to-the-office/.

[5] Curran, Enda. “Work From Home to Lift Productivity by 5% in Post-Pandemic U.S.” Bloomberg.com. April 22, 2021. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-22/yes-working-from-home-makes-you-more-productive-study-finds.

[6] Ryan, Kevin J. “Why Apple Employees Are Objecting to the Company’s Remote Work Rules.” Inc.com. July 20, 2021. https://www.inc.com/kevin-j-ryan/apple-employees-letter-return-to-office.html.

How To Stay Safe Online When You’re Traveling

Travel can be a mind-opening and life-altering experience. Whether you’re traveling for business, for pleasure, or to visit your family in your hometown, it’s always great to get away from the drudgery of your daily routine to see new things and meet new people.
However, unfamiliar places can bring unfamiliar dangers. And while you’ve likely been told to not keep your valuables on your person in case you get mugged or to lock yourself in a small cabinet when visiting family so they can never find you again, the rules for safely using technology while you travel are a bit nebulous at times.
Never fear: we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to keep your personal information safe when visiting an unfamiliar — or all too familiar — locale.

Business travel

Wow — you’re important enough that it’s actually necessary for you go to a whole different city or country for work. Because you’re needed there. Ok. Are you Beyonce or something?!
Anyway business travel has its own set of risks and challenges, so here are some things to keep in mind.

  • Bring only what you need. Increasingly, security personnel at airports will look through devices to determine if their owner poses a security threat. And the risk of having something stolen is greater in unfamiliar environments. Bring the tools you need to safely work, but don’t bring anything you don’t absolutely need.
  • Keep your devices on you at all times. Yes, the danger of security going through your phone is real, but don’t check your work laptop that has all your company’s trade secrets. If one of your devices gets lost, then anyone who finds it will be able to hack into it and figure out when your next secret album is dropping. (You are Beyonce, aren’t you?!)
  • Don’t trust the Wi-Fi. This is always a solid tip, but especially important when you’re traveling for business. Never use unfamiliar public Wi-Fi to do official company business or any sensitive personal browsing. Doing so leaves you open to hacking, government surveillance, and increased risk of malware being installed on your device.
  • Use a VPN. If you’re traveling for business, all of your internet browsing should happen while connected to a VPN. Many companies require you to use a VPN to log into their networks while working, but if your company doesn’t, invest in one.
  • Consult your company’s IT department before you leave. Ask your IT department if there are any special considerations for working remotely in the country you’re visiting, unless your IT department is just three people sitting in a basement. Then just follow the tips above and also begin looking for a new job.

Personal travel

Wow — you’d rather explore the world than sit at home in your sad studio apartment with your cat. Because you want to. Ok.
When traveling for pleasure, you should bring only what you need, be wary of Wi-Fi, and keep all devices on your at all times, as mentioned above. Here are some additional tips for world explorers.

  • Wait until you get home to post pictures. It’s tempting to post all your sexy beach pics immediately to make others jealous, but it’s best to wait so you’re not advertising that your home is empty or giving away your location.
  • Don’t do any crimes online. If you do venture on the Wi-Fi, make sure you know that laws in the country you’re in. For instance, don’t go on adult sites in Cuba and don’t trash the government on social media in China — it won’t turn out well for you!
  • Password protect all your mobile devices. You should always have strong passwords in place for all your hardware and online accounts, but it’s particularly important when you’re traveling. Have strong passwords for hardware and two-factor authentication for all accounts.
  • Don’t swim with your phone in your pocket. This has nothing to do with online safety, it’s just better if you don’t.

Visiting your family in your hometown

Oh man — how’d you get tricked into visiting your hometown? Whether you’re home for the holidays or visiting your beloved family dog Sparky, your hometown is full of dangers

  • Stay in a hotel on the dark side of town. Do not reveal the location of this hotel to anyone. Pay in cash and use “Jon Bon Jovi” as a pseudonym.
  • Do not complain about your mom’s meatloaf on social media. Similar to complaining about the government in China, this will get you into big trouble.
  • Turn off all location-sharing capabilities on your phone, and make sure your phone isn’t set to automatically connect to Wi-Fi. Government agencies and your mom can use this information to track your location.
  • Whoops — your mom found you at your sketchy hotel because Jon Bon Jovi is a pretty obvious pseudonym. Grab Sparky and leave in the night.

Traveling can be a minefield of digital dangers, but as long as you exercise reasonable caution and refrain from using the pseudonym “Jon Bon Jovi,” you should have a safe trip. Bon Voyage, Beyonce!

You’ll Never Want to Stop Traveling After Learning About This Startup

**This is part of our series highlighting startups who share our mission of trying to make people’s lives just a little easier**

It’s the post-holiday season and a lot of us are probably still slogging back to work and struggling to return to a regular day-to-day schedule.  Many of us have been traveling to see family, to escape the weather, or to take advantage of accrued holiday hours to spend a few days near the beach.

I bet some of you are wishing you could go BACK to that wonderful, far-away place, but I bet most of you are glad you don’t have to endure those long airport lines, gas station bathroom stops, or that awkward moment when security pulls you aside and has to check your socks (true story).

Because the truth of the matter is that within the travel industry, there is a lot of room for improvements. And even more specifically, there is a lot of room for enhanced customer experience within the hotel industry.

This is where Arrivedo comes in—a startup that is revolutionizing the way people travel and experience hotels. If you’ve ever had an unpleasant experience while traveling because of stress, boredom, or lack of information, then you’ll want to check this company out.

See it’s hard enough having to get up at 4 AM and drive all the way to your destination, so when you have to deal with strange beds, new faces, and that cracked wheel on your suitcase making a horrendous noise across the pavement….you end up wishing you had just stayed home in your PJ’s with your cat.

Why Arrivedo? Because a better hotel experience can transform the way you travel.

Approximately 35% of American families had plans to take a trip during 2017, with 30% of those families saying they planned on taking three or more trips. That’s a lot of people stopping in completely unfamiliar towns and sleeping in hotels with unfamiliar faces—which, in the end, makes for a lot of moments of travel discomfort.

Imagine the difference between staying at a hotel in a city where you’re pretty sure the only breakfast restaurant is McDonald’s, versus staying at your best friend’s house where she recommends her top five favorite coffee shops that you can visit for a fresh cinnamon roll and locally roasted coffee.

See the difference? One option involves frustrated Google searches on your phone while the other involves a moment of pure bliss as you take a bite of warm and cinnamon-y bread. It’s the difference between being a stranger and feeling like a “local” that really makes or breaks your travel experience.

This is the current problem for the hotel industry: making guests feel at home when, in reality, they’re far away from home.

It’s a problem that hotels are forever trying to remedy, and a competition that hotels have recently been losing with the rise of popularity in the Airbnb business.

Airbnb boasts a “local experience” because instead of a corporate building with busy employees, you’re staying in the home of a city local who can give you a personal tour of the area.

Hotels have been taking a big hit as more and more travelers are opting for an Airbnb instead in order to get that personalized, “at home” experience. A study conducted in 2015 showed that the lodging industry of New York had a negative impact of $2.1 billion because of the impact of Airbnb, and further showed $450 million of loss in direct revenues for hotels due to Airbnb annually.

But since the rise of Airbnb, Arrivedo has been launching an attack to better the name of the hotel industry and improve the way that travelers search, book, and enjoy their stay.

Get to Know Arrivedo

Arrivedo is a technological startup company with the goal of producing one “Neighborhood Guide” per hotel in the world. It was dreamed up by one of its co-founders, Alonso Franco, who wanted to create a way for hotels to connect with travelers in a way that focused on the communication and hospitality of a local. The company is composed of a dozen entrepreneurs who combine their strengths and skills to tackle the problems that are confronting the hotel industry. Their website serves as a platform to connect travelers to hotels—no matter where the traveler’s destination is.

Not only can you connect with hotels, but you can access a mine of information about the area you’re visiting. A hotel’s Neighborhood Guide can set you up for endless hours spent roaming the city or venturing into lesser-known spots. You get all the experiences of a local, all in one place.

The Neighborhood Guide

So what’s a Neighborhood Guide, and what role does it play in Arrivedo’s mission?

For every hotel in the world, Arrivedo plans on crafting a local guide that highlights restaurants, activities, maps, helpful tips, and city events within the hotel’s area—a “neighborhood” guide, because it enables travelers to get to know the neighborhood where they are staying. It gives visitors vital information that they would normally get if they were, say, staying at their grandma’s.

Where does this local knowledge come from?

Arrivedo’s team of writers collaborates with each hotel to include the best local events and information for a Neighborhood Guide.

In essence, travelers get to experience local cultures and have that “at home” vibe even when they are away. No longer do they have to feel like strangers at a hotel surrounded by unknown people and places, but instead, they can form meaningful connections as they travel.

Travel Like a Local

So maybe you’re taking a trip to Los Angeles, California and you don’t have any friends or family staying there but still want to get that “local” experience. Sometimes it’s hard to walk into establishments and get that information because it’s not always easy to immediately connect with strangers and, even then, sometimes you get the wrong directions or important details are miscommunicated.

Arrivedo presents a solution to that problem in the way that their Neighborhood Guides are made available so that travelers can be connected to their hotels and set up from the start for successfully living like a local. You can access clearly-written maps, extensive lists of the top places to grab coffee or a slice of pizza, find recommendations for the best night-life spots, and be in-the-know for important local celebrations or events.

How it Works

1. If you know your destination, go to Arrivedo’s website and type the name of the city into the search bar. This will pull up results for different hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and hostels in the area.

2. Click on a hotel and check out its Neighborhood Guide. It will list places to visit and things to do that are nearby, as well as offer helpful tips about traveling within the city.

3. If you’re ready to book a room, all you have to do is click on the hotel name! You’ll be taken to a different page specifically for booking.

Arrivedo is a platform for all the information you need to transform your travels.

The desire of Arrivedo’s creators is to bridge the gap between “traveler” and “local,” and provide a unique platform to revolutionize the way we travel.

This is a startup company that we’ll want to keep an eye on over the next few years. With their team of writers reaching out to hotels across the world, perhaps soon our unpleasant travel experiences will be nothing more than faded memories.

And I bet that even though the holidays just ended, some of you are already itching to plan a weekend getaway, leave your cat, and explore a new place with the help of a Neighborhood Guide.

Your Unlocked Phone In A Stranger’s Hand? It Might Happen When You Fly Internationally

Belts off, shoes off, keys, and pocket change in the bin.

Most of us know the routine by heart. Before we even get to the front of the line we have a security bin in our hands. It’s all become so routine it’s second nature.

On the one hand, we know it’s a complete pain but on the other hand most of us have adopted an “it’s better to be safe than sorry” stance on this matter.

When does it go too far?

When does security cross the line from vigilance to invasion of privacy?

Is it when the TSA agents are giving you the kind of pat-down that your doctor wouldn’t do? Is it when they’re grilling you about every minute detail of your trip? Is it when an agent is rifling through the unmentionables in your luggage?…

…Or, maybe, it’s when they’re asking you to unlock your smartphone?

You read that correctly. There is a staggering increase in the amount of searches where a traveler’s phone is being accessed by agents. Does that make you feel secure or  violated?

Your smartphone is an extension of your life

Do you go around handing photos of your kids to complete strangers? How about confidential company documents? What about your personal medical documents?

Now think about what you keep on your phone. There is so much personal data on our phones. Data that we want to keep private. After all, that’s why we put passcodes and use thumbprint IDs to unlock our phones.

Our phones are more than just a device to make calls. It’s the one thing most of us use every day and carry with us wherever we go.

Think about your pictures, your emails, your documents, and even your message chats.

To say that our phones hold all the information about our lives wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Spend 30 minutes looking at someone’s unlocked phone and you will gain a lot of insight into that person.

So ask yourself, how comfortable would you feel with a stranger taking your unlocked phone into a private room for 30 minutes or more?

That’s the question many travelers are asking themselves lately.

The rules that you think are protecting you aren’t

Some of you may be tempted to dismiss this as a serious concern. After all it seems like it’s an illegal action being taken by overzealous border agents. And that’s what the constitution is for.

If there’s one thing most Americans are familiar with, it’s the constitution.

The Fourth Amendment prevents illegal search and seizure.

The Fifth Amendment prevents self-incrimination.

These are some of the bedrocks of the constitution and it protects the privacy rights for Americans. It also doesn’t protect you in this case.

Yes, that’s correct. The constitution doesn’t protect you when it comes to your phone being searched when you’re flying.

How is this possible? Well, the same way most questionable actions are legitimized…by a loophole.

Decades ago the Supreme Court created an exception for border agents with regards to the Fourth Amendment. So technically they can search whatever they want and there’s nothing to stop them.

So while it would be illegal for a police officer to stop you and ask you to unlock your phone, it’s perfectly legal for a border agent to do so.

What, me worry?

As you read about this issue another temptation might be to come up with reasons why you don’t think you should worry about this.

You might say to yourself “I’m a US citizen, this only applies to non-Americans”. But unfortunately you’d be wrong about that. American-born citizens have had to turn in their phones at the border already.

As a matter of fact, according to a recent lawsuit, NASA engineers, journalists, and even military veterans (all of whom are American citizens) have recently had to unlock their phones when entering the country.

Even phones that were government-issued and might contain confidential data were subject to being searched at the border.

So no one is immune from this scrutiny.

Another thing many people might say (wrongly) to themselves is the belief that “I’ve done nothing wrong so I’ve got nothing to hide”. But it’s never that simple.

Again, think about all the information that you have on your phone. Is it possible that a friend of a friend on Facebook is a criminal? What about the people you follow on Twitter? Guilty by association, perhaps?

Have you ever made a comment, seriously or in jest, about the government or the President? What if you’re reading a fictional book about a government revolution or terrorist attack?

It might seem extreme but it doesn’t take much for something innocent to lead to further scrutiny. Suddenly your phone isn’t just taken for 30 minutes but for 10 hours.

Different story now isn’t it?

And for those of you that aren’t American and are shaking their heads and thinking “this would never happen in my country”, you might want to rethink that position. Similar scenarios have already happened in Canada and there are reports of it occurring in the UK and Australia as well.

They have the power, you have the control

This situation sucks. The bad (and obvious) news is that you’re left without a choice. Border agents have all the power in this situation and if you want to get back into the country you need to comply.

The good news is that you do have a choice in how much information they get. As we’ve been known to say around here, awareness about an issue is the first step. So now that you’re aware, you can prepare yourself.

Here are some options that you can take before your next flight:

  • Don’t take your devices with you: This might be easier said than done. But for many people going on vacation, is it really necessary to bring your phone with you?If you need to take pictures you can bring a digital camera, if you want to connect to the Internet then you can take something like an iPod that has Wi-Fi capabilities. There are alternatives to having to take your smartphone with you.
  • Restore your phone to factory settings: Just backup all the data on your phone so it’s saved securely, and once it is you can restore your phone to its factory setting for your trip. All your files and apps will be off your phone and anyone who looks at it will be looking at essentially a blank device. When you return you can restore your backup so your phone is back to the way it was before your trip.
  • Buy/rent a temporary phone: If you really need a phone on your trip you can leave your main phone back at home and grab a rental or prepaid phone in your new destination.You’ll get a number for people who need to contact you and many of them come with a data plan as well. You just use it for the duration of the trip and then return it once you’re done, or simply save it for your next trip.

Doors locked, oven turned off, private phone data secured

These solutions might seem a bit extreme but keeping your data private is not a joke. It’s just a fact of life that this is something you may encounter when it comes to flying.

It’s always important to be prepared and aware whenever there’s a situation where your private data might get accessed by someone you wouldn’t want. Unfortunately this is where we’re at in society.

For better or worse security has taken us here, so it’s up to us to determine how much information we want to give up.

Ultimately it’ll be up to each individual to decide if they’re comfortable handing an unlocked phone to a complete stranger or not.

If this is something you aren’t comfortable with then at least you know what you’re up against and you can take whatever steps you need.

Traveling comes with enough stress and anxiety, and the last thing you need to worry about is an invasion of privacy. By taking these steps you’ll be ensured that your vacation is smooth sailing all the way.