December 08, 2025
Imagine you're midway through a five-hour journey to see family for the holidays. Your daughter asks, "Can I play Roblox on your laptop?" Your work laptop — the one holding sensitive client details, financial records, and full access to your business operations. You're drained from packing, still facing three more hours on the road, and honestly, keeping her entertained seems like a good plan. But, is it safe?
Holiday travel introduces unique security risks you don't encounter daily. Distractions, fatigue, unfamiliar WiFi networks, and mixing family time with "just a quick work check" can create vulnerabilities. Whether traveling for business, leisure, or a blend of both, here's how to safeguard your data without spoiling your holiday spirit.
Pre-Trip Essentials: Simple 15-Minute Steps
Spend just 15 minutes before your journey to fortify your devices and enjoy peace of mind:
Core device precautions:
- Apply all pending security updates immediately
- Back up critical files securely to the cloud
- Set automatic screen lock to activate within two minutes
- Enable "Find My Device" features on phones and laptops
- Fully charge your portable power bank
- Bring your personal charging cables and adapters
Discuss device use with your family:
- Clarify which devices kids can safely use and which are off-limits
- Provide a dedicated family tablet or second device for entertainment
- Create a separate user account on your laptop if kids must use it
Pro tip: If your children need screen time during travel, bring a tablet unlinked to your work accounts. Investing in a $150 iPad is much wiser than risking a costly data breach.
Hotel WiFi Safety: Avoid Common Pitfalls
Upon checking into a hotel, everyone's devices—phones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles—connect to the hotel's WiFi. Netflix streams on your teenager's device, your spouse checks emails, and you try to finalize an important proposal.
The issue is that hotel networks are public spaces shared by hundreds of guests, some of whom may have malicious intent.
Reality check: A family once connected to what appeared to be the hotel's WiFi, but it was a counterfeit network set up nearby. For two entire days, sensitive information like passwords, credit card data, and emails were intercepted by the impostor.
Stay protected by following these steps:
Confirm the WiFi network name — Always verify the exact network name with the front desk; never guess.
Use a VPN while accessing work resources — A VPN encrypts your connection, shielding your work email and files from prying eyes.
Opt for your phone's hotspot for sensitive activities — For banking, client data, or confidential work, use mobile data instead of hotel WiFi.
Separate work from leisure — Let kids stream cartoons on hotel WiFi while you use a hotspot for professional tasks.
Handling "Can I Use Your Laptop?" Requests
Your work laptop holds vital emails, financial accounts, client information, and business systems. Meanwhile, your kids want to watch videos, play games, or chat with friends.
Why this matters: Kids may unintentionally download malware, click risky links, share passwords, or forget to sign out. None of this is done with ill intent, but on your work device, these actions can jeopardize security.
Effective solutions include:
Politely refuse access to work devices — "This is my work laptop, but here's another device you can use." Maintain this rule firmly.
If sharing is unavoidable:
- Set up a separate user account with limited permissions
- Supervise their activities closely
- Block downloads entirely
- Ensure passwords are not saved on the device
- Clear browsing history after each session
An even better approach: Pack a dedicated family device for travel—an older tablet or laptop not linked to work accounts works perfectly.
Streaming on Hotel TVs: Remember to Log Out
Watching Netflix on a hotel smart TV? If someone logs into your account and you forget to sign out before checkout, the next guest gains access to your streaming account.
Worse still, if you've reused passwords for other accounts (please don't), they might exploit them elsewhere.
Prevent these risks by following these tips:
- Cast content from your own device instead of logging into the TV directly (safer option)
- Set a phone reminder to log out before checkout if you must sign in on the TV
- Better yet, download shows to your devices ahead of travel to avoid using hotel TVs
Never log into the following on hotel TVs:
- Banking applications
- Work-related accounts
- Email
- Social media platforms
- Any account saving payment information
Lost Devices? Act Quickly to Minimize Damage
Holiday travel can be hectic, and devices often get misplaced in restaurants, hotel rooms, rental cars, or airport security.If your device disappears, here's your immediate action plan:
Within the first hour:
- Activate "Find My Device" to locate it
- If recovery fails, lock the device remotely
- Change passwords for all critical accounts from another device
- Inform your IT team or service provider to revoke company system access
- If the device had sensitive business data, notify impacted clients or partners
Key device features to set up before you travel:
- Enable remote tracking
- Enforce strong password protection
- Ensure automatic data encryption is active
- Configure remote wipe capabilities
If a family member loses their device, follow the same protocol: remotely lock it, change passwords, and attempt location tracking.
Beware the Rental Car Bluetooth Data Trap
Connecting your phone to a rental car's Bluetooth to play music or use navigation seems convenient. But these systems store your contacts, recent calls, and sometimes text previews. When you return the vehicle, this private information often remains accessible to the next driver.
Quick 30-second steps before handing back the car:
- Forget or delete your phone from the car's Bluetooth settings
- Clear recent destinations from the GPS system
- Even better: use an aux cable or avoid connecting your phone entirely
Balancing Work and Vacation: Set Clear Boundaries
You intended this to be quality family time, but you've checked emails dozens of times, taken multiple quick calls, and spent hours on your laptop while others enjoy activities.
This constant back-and-forth increases your risk of security mistakes by lowering your focus and making you more prone to clicking suspicious links or trusting unknown networks.
Real advice: If you must remain connected, set firm limits:
- Check work email just twice a day at designated times
- Use your mobile hotspot for work tasks, not public hotel WiFi
- Conduct work from your hotel room where screens are less visible
- Fully engage with family when not working — no multitasking
The best practice? Take genuine time off. Your business will survive the break, and you'll return more alert and secure when rested.
Adopt the Right Mindset for Holiday Travel Security
Reality check: Juggling work and family during holiday travel is messy. Sometimes your child truly needs your laptop; other times, you must urgently check an email while your partner drives. Life is unpredictable.
Your aim isn't perfect security—it's making thoughtful decisions to reduce risk:
- Prepare your devices thoroughly before departure
- Identify which activities carry risk (like hotel WiFi banking) versus safer options (using your own hotspot)
- Create barriers separating work data from family device activities whenever feasible
- Have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong
- Know when to firmly say, "Not on this device," and stick to it
Ensure Your Holidays Are Remembered for All the Right Reasons
The holidays should focus on cherished moments with loved ones — not stress over data breaches or client fallout from compromised information.
With a bit of preparation and straightforward rules, you can shield your business while enjoying a worry-free vacation. Your family enjoys their holiday, your business remains secure — everyone wins.
Need assistance creating travel security protocols for your team and yourself?
After all, the best holiday memories don't involve, "Remember when Dad's laptop got hacked?"
