Digital Security for Digital Nomads: How to Keep You and Your Gear Safe

The digital nomad lifestyle gives you mobility and your electronics visibility, requiring you to be more diligent about loss and theft than someone working in an office surrounded by four walls.

Your security plan is only as strong as its weakest point, so here’s how to make sure you’re covered physically, digitally, and mentally for the most common threats, no matter where you’re working today.

Let’s Get Physical

Depending on your office style, whether you’re a cafe or beach hammock kind of person, choose your working locations strategically. Walls, especially corners, limit angles for thieves who might be targeting your stuff.

Physical barriers also reduce the area you have to pay attention to, which is critical since the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’ll be able to notice activity around you when you’re knee-deep in a project.

• Limit what’s in your bag. Don’t bring valuables you won’t need for a working session (e.g. iPad) to limit potential loses.
• Keep out only what’s being actively used. Many mobile phones have found new owners because they’re conveniently sitting next to distracted laptop users.
• Lock your bag zippers. You’ll effectively eliminate quick, opportunistic hands with inexpensive luggage locks.

All of this may seem like common sense, because it is, but a personal security policy keeps your habits consistent whether you’re a company of one or 5000.

Set Up Automated Warning Systems

Both the free iOS app Best Phone Security and Android Don’t Touch My Droid set off audible alarms when your mobile devices are moved without your permission. Yawcam is similar free software for Windows, and will give you a loud heads up if someone tries to make off with your laptop when your back is briefly turned.

Keep in mind that thieves aren’t the only threat to your data. Although the average spinning disk hard drive will last 3-5 years and solid state drives about 3 times as long, there are no guarantees.

Both [email protected] Hard Drive Monitor (Windows) and SMARTReporter (MacOS) give you some advance warning of hard drive failure. Automatically backing up your data to the cloud or a portable drive will make sure your files are as portable as you are.

Recover From Loss

Despite your best efforts, loss is often unavoidable. Luckily, with preparation it’s easiest to minimize the loss of your two most valuable commodities: time and information.

Recovering lost or stolen gadgets isn’t as feasible, but if you’re willing to write off the hardware mentally, there’s a chance you can get them back tangibly.

Start by looking on the bright side: make it easy for someone who finds your lost gadget to get in touch with you.

• Phones and tablets: Android devices let you add basic contact info that shows up directly on the lock screen. On iOS, you can use Find my iPhone to display a message on the device once you know it’s been lost.
• Find anything: Attach a HomingPIN tag to your gadgets, luggage, or anything else. When someone finds it, they follow the instructions or scan the barcode to get in touch with you.

Then look on the darker side of the force and encrypt your data, which is vulnerable when it’s out of your physical control.

• Hard drive encryption: Built into Windows by default and easily enabled in modern MacOS versions, this makes it very difficult for a thief to pull information directly from your disks.
• Encrypt sensitive files: You often lose privacy rights at borders (if the country you’re visiting even has them), legally requiring you to give up passwords to laptops or other devices for inspection. Enabling Veracrypt hidden folders for your personal files or desktop lets you hide files in plain sight.
• Tablets and smartphones: encryption is now built into both iOS and Android devices. It’s turned on by default on Apple phones and tablets, and easily enabled for Android.

Track and Trace

Although there are a number of tracking services, the best program to install on all of your devices is Project Prey. Aside from being free (woot!), Project Prey tracks your gadgets, take pictures of the thieves, and lets you remotely wipe your phone/tablet/laptop to keep your data out of scummy hands.

Additionally, Prey can capture logins, passwords, and other identifying information crooks enter into your phone, tablet, or laptop.

Savvy thieves may try to wipe your device to prevent programs like Project Prey from tracking them. Although your options are limited on tablets and mobile phones, you can add protection to your laptop by setting a BIOS/firmware password. (Here’s how on Windows and Mac.)

Charge Wisely

Your best protection from theft is often by being the least-tempting target around. Don’t advertise your equipment by charging it out in the open in cafes, or even having conspicuous USB cables plugged into everything.

But remember, whether you’re trying to protect yourself from thieves or hardware failures, no security plan provides absolute protection. Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst so your assets are covered — and recovered if need be — in no time.

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Do you have any security stories or advice from the road? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of Digital Nomad Month on Too Many Adapters.