Security

When planning international travel — whether for a Dickinson program or leisure — it's important to consider how you can securely access information from your devices. This guide summarizes best practices to ensure your data is protected before, during, and when you return from your travel abroad.

Important

If your device is lost or stolen while traveling, notify the Help Desk right away. 

• Report lost or stolen mobile devices to the Help Desk here.

Before you travel

What to pack? In terms of devices, ITS recommends bringing only the equipment needed to do your work. Below you’ll find device recommendations that range from best, most secure options to the minimum required actions that help keep devices secure and your data protected:

• Borrow through Travel Loaner Program. If you're traveling to a country categorized as Level 3, 4, or Other by the U.S. Department of State Travel, we strongly recommend that you leave your current devices behind and travel with a Dickinson-provided iPad. Contact the Help Desk to inquire about borrowing an iPad to use in place of your college-supplied computer. The loaner device will allow you to manage email, view your calendar, run presentations, edit documents, and connect to Dickinson websites. The devices are set up specifically for your use and wiped back to factory settings when you return. 
• Connect through Virtual Private Network (VPN). Request VPN access via this form. This will allow you to securely connect to Dickinson’s network (from the travel iPad or other devices) as if you were on campus.
• Leave the mobile phone at home. Consider whether you can travel without your mobile phone, and if you can get by with a Wi-Fi-only device, like a loaner iPad. For multi-factor authentication (MFA), you can use the Microsoft Authenticator app on an iPad with the 6-digit where no network or cellular connectivity required.

While you travel

Dos

• Be aware of your surroundings. Watch for those looking over your shoulder or potential thieves.
• Disable broadcast services like Wi-Fi access points, Bluetooth devices, and GPS when not needed.
• Use private browsing whenever possible (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
• Use VPN access whenever possible. 
• If your device(s) are lost or stolen, notify Help Desk right away. 
  • Report lost or stolen mobile devices to the Help Desk here.

Don'ts

• Do not plug your phone into charger kiosks. There may be a hostile computer on the other end of that innocent-looking wire.
• Avoid using public workstations as they cannot be trusted. Assume that anything that you enter into the system may be captured and used.
• Do not leave your devices unattended. Even hotel safes are not secure.
• Don’t connect to unknown resources like Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth devices.

FAQs

What should I do if asked to provide my password to my laptop or other device?

• We suggest that you not provide your password. Rather, unlock the machine for the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent if you are compelled to do so.
• Our understanding is that CBP cannot make you provide your password, but that they do have some rights to inspect your electronic devices.
• “Compelled” could be due to subpoena, a CBP agent showing you the section of the law that provide CBP a right to require you to unlock your device for inspection, or circumstances are such that you believe you have little other viable option.

Can I take my laptop in my carry-on if I travel internationally?

• Yes, you can take your laptop with you in the cabin on international flights. The March 21, 2017 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ban on electronic devices larger than a cell phone or a smart phone from cabins on airplanes entering the U.S. from certain airports has been lifted. DHS will require increased screening procedures for all flights entering into the U.S. in the weeks and months to come.

What should I do if my device is confiscated?

• Obtain the name and title of the individual confiscating your device.
• Obtain a “receipt” or comparable written documentation that describes the device confiscated, under what authority, for what purposes, by whom and whom to contact regarding return of the device.

A few issues reported by travelers, particularly to the People's Republic of China, include:

• Access to services that we take for granted like Gmail and other Google apps, Wikipedia, and Yahoo Web Mail are often blocked altogether or filtered.
• Those using VPNs reported that they are often cut off for hours at a time.
• Hotel staff and government officials can access hotel room safes, so don't expect that a computer or mobile device left in a hotel safe will be secure.