December 08, 2025
Imagine you're halfway through a five-hour journey to visit your family and your daughter asks, "Can I play Roblox on your laptop?" Not just any laptop — your work laptop, packed with sensitive client files, financial info, and full access to your business. You're tired from packing, still have three hours to go, and keeping her entertained seems like a relief. But is it safe?
Holiday travel brings unique security challenges. Distraction, fatigue, unfamiliar WiFi networks, and mixing family time with quick work check-ins all create risks that you rarely face at home. Whether you're on a business trip, a holiday getaway, or a blend of both, here's how to protect your data and enjoy a peaceful holiday.
Pre-Trip Prep: 15 Minutes to Secure Your Devices
Just 15 focused minutes before you hit the road can shield you from many common risks:
Device must-dos:
- Update all software and security patches immediately
- Back up essential files to a secure cloud service
- Activate screen auto-lock within two minutes
- Enable "Find My Device" for phones and laptops
- Charge your portable power bank fully
- Bring along your own chargers and adapters — no borrowing!
Set clear expectations with your family:
- Clarify which devices children may use and which are off-limits
- Provide a shared family tablet or a secondary device for entertainment
- Consider creating a separate user profile on your laptop for kids, limiting access
Pro tip: If your kids need device time during travel, pack a tablet not linked to your work accounts. Investing in a modest $150 iPad is a minor price compared to the consequences of a security breach.
Hotel WiFi: Why Everyone Gets It Wrong
After checking in, the whole family jumps on the hotel WiFi — streaming, emailing, gaming. But hotel networks are public spaces for hundreds of users, some with malicious intents.
True story: A family connected to what they thought was their hotel's WiFi, but it was a fake hotspot set up in the parking lot. For two days, every password, credit card number, and email was intercepted.
Staying secure on hotel WiFi:
Confirm the network name with the front desk—never guess.
Use a VPN for work-related tasks to encrypt your connection.
For sensitive actions like banking or accessing company data, prefer your phone's hotspot over hotel WiFi.
Delineate between work and family use — kids can stream cartoons on hotel WiFi, but use your hotspot when handling confidential information.
"Can I Use Your Laptop?" — The Security Risk
Your work laptop holds critical business info: emails, bank access, client files. Kids want to watch videos, play games, or chat online.
Why this matters: Children can unknowingly introduce risks — downloading malware, clicking risky pop-ups, sharing passwords, or forgetting to log out. No harm meant, but it's a business security hazard.
Safe strategies:
Simply say no to work devices — "This is my work laptop, please use [another device]." Consistency is key.
If sharing is unavoidable:
- Set up a restricted user account
- Supervise their activity
- Disable downloads
- Don't save their passwords on your device
- Clear browsing history after they're done
Even better: Bring a dedicated family device for travel, like an older tablet or laptop without work account access.
Streaming on Hotel TVs: Remember to Log Out!
Watching Netflix in your hotel room is fun — but logging in and forgetting to log out means the next guest could access your account. If your passwords overlap across sites (please don't!), the fallout could be severe.
Stay protected:
- Use your own device and cast the content to the TV, which is more secure
- Set a phone reminder to log out before checkout if you must sign in on the TV
- Or download shows on your device beforehand and skip the hotel TV
Avoid signing into these on hotel TVs:
- Banking apps
- Work accounts
- Email
- Social media
- Any account storing payment details
Lost Device? Act Fast
Travel is hectic — devices get misplaced at airports, hotels, or restaurants. If your device goes missing, immediate action is crucial:
Within the first hour:
- Use "Find My Device" to locate it
- If recovery isn't possible quickly, remotely lock it down
- From another device, change passwords for critical accounts
- Inform your IT support or managed service provider to revoke access
- If sensitive business data was stored, notify affected clients or parties
Before you travel, make sure your device includes:
- Remote tracking enabled
- Strong password protection
- Automatic encryption for stored data
- Remote wipe capability in emergencies
Family member lost their device? Follow the same steps: lock it, change passwords, and locate it if possible.
The Rental Car Data Trap
Using Bluetooth to connect your phone to a rental car can be convenient for music and navigation, but beware: vehicles often save your call logs, contacts, and even text previews.
Failing to clear this data before returning the car leaves personal info exposed to the next driver.
Quick 30-second checklist before handing back the car:
- Remove your phone from the car's Bluetooth pairing
- Clear recent GPS destinations
- Or, better yet, use an aux cable or avoid connecting altogether
The Blurred Lines of "Working Vacation"
You promised yourself it would be all about family — but you find yourself checking emails frequently, taking unexpected calls, and working for an hour while everyone else plays mini-golf.
This ongoing divide between work and vacation stresses your focus and lowers your security vigilance, increasing risks of mistakes.
Real advice: If unplugging fully isn't an option, create firm boundaries:
- Limit work email checks to twice a day at scheduled times
- Use your phone's hotspot instead of hotel WiFi for work tasks
- Work privately in your hotel room, away from public view
- Be fully present with your family during non-work time
However, the best security practice — and mental health advice — is to take a true break. Your business will survive, and you'll return refreshed and more alert.
Adopt the Holiday Travel Security Mindset
Truth is, mixing work and family on trips is messy. Sometimes your child genuinely needs your laptop; sometimes urgent work emails require attention when your spouse is driving. Life isn't perfect, but your approach can be.
The focus should be on thoughtful risk management:
- Prepare devices thoroughly before traveling
- Recognize which activities carry high security risk (like hotel WiFi banking) versus safer options (using your own hotspot)
- Separate work and family tech activities whenever feasible
- Have a clear plan in case security incidents occur
- Know when to draw the line and say, "Nope, not on this device," and stick to it
Make This Holiday One to Remember — For The Right Reasons
The holidays should be about quality time with loved ones — not a scramble to fix a data breach or apologize to clients for exposed information.
With a little preparation and some simple guidelines, you can shield your business from threats without spoiling anyone's fun. Let your family enjoy the holiday while your business stays protected. It's a win-win.
Need expert help to establish travel security protocols for your team and yourself? Click here or call us at 252-240-3399 to schedule your free 15-Minute Discovery Call. We'll craft practical policies that keep your business safe without making travel a hassle.
Because the best holiday memory should never be, "Remember when Dad's laptop got hacked?"
