Video: World Cup fans beware: Russia travel comes with cyber risk
Look, I grew up in New Jersey[1] and lived in Florida[2], so I'm pretty comfortable with the idea of scary places. But the kind of scary I'm talking about here is foreign governments that might be after your digital soul.
If you're traveling to countries like Russia or China (and, yeah, entering or returning to the US[3]), there's always the risk that governments may have the opportunity to gain access to your digital bits. When in country, it's distinctly possible that not only governments, but hackers and criminals, will try to intercept your traffic and steal identifying information or even insert malware into your transmissions.
Read also: World Cup 2018: Traveling to Russia? Here's what you need to know[4]
I am more than a little paranoid, and on the rare occasion I consider traveling out of the country[5], I plan for as much protection as possible. In this article, I'm going to help you see some of the techniques I consider when I'm thinking about traveling over either pond.
Let me be clear: These approaches aren't for everyone. If you're not deeply concerned about your data being intercepted or your devices being infected, just take the easy way out. But if you're a fan of spy movies and are concerned about how to stay as digitally safe as possible, here are a few slightly "out there" spycraft-style tips you might want to consider.
Where they can get you
Let's first discuss where you're at most risk. Digital travel risk can really be broken down into two vectors: Losing physical control