December 08, 2025
Imagine you're three hours into a five-hour journey to visit family this holiday season. Your daughter asks, "Can I play Roblox on your work laptop?" The very laptop loaded with sensitive client files, financial records, and entire business access. You're tired from packing, still have a few hours to go, and the idea of keeping her entertained seems like a relief. But is it worth the risk?
Holiday travel introduces unique security challenges that you don't face in your everyday life. Distractions run high, exhaustion sets in, and connecting to unknown networks becomes routine. Plus, mixing family fun with quick "just checking work" moments can open doors to security threats. Whether you're on a business trip, vacation, or both, here's how to safeguard your data without dampening the holiday spirit.
Pre-Trip Essentials: Just 15 Minutes to Secure Your Devices
Take a quick 15-minute security check before you hit the road:
Device Must-Do's:
- Update all software and security patches promptly
- Back up crucial files securely to the cloud
- Set your device to auto-lock within two minutes of inactivity
- Activate "Find My Device" services on phones and laptops
- Fully charge portable power banks
- Bring all necessary charging cables and adapters
Family Device Guidelines:
- Clarify which devices are suitable for kids' use and which are off-limits
- Provide a dedicated family tablet or secondary device for entertainment
- Create separate user profiles on work devices if kids occasionally need access
Pro tip: If kids need screen time during travel, bring a tablet not synced to your work accounts. Investing in a $150 iPad is far cheaper than dealing with a costly data breach.
Hotel WiFi: Avoid Common Pitfalls
Once checked in, every device in your family connects to the hotel's WiFi—smartphones, tablets, laptops, game consoles. Teens binge-watch Netflix, spouses check emails, and you scramble to review work documents.
The problem? Hotel networks are shared spaces vulnerable to hackers lurking among other guests.
True story: A family unknowingly connected to a fraudulent WiFi network impersonating their hotel's. For two days, every online interaction, including passwords, credit card details, and emails, was intercepted.
How to protect yourself:
Confirm the network name—always ask the front desk for the exact WiFi SSID. Never guess.
Use a VPN when accessing work resources—VPNs encrypt your data, keeping it private.
For sensitive tasks, rely on your phone's hotspot —handle banking or confidential client info over your mobile data, not public WiFi.
Separate leisure and work connections—let kids stream cartoons on hotel WiFi, but conduct any business securely via hotspot.
The Risks of Sharing Your Work Laptop
Your work laptop grants access to vital emails, financial accounts, client files, and company systems. Meanwhile, kids want to watch videos, play games, or chat online.
Why this is risky: Children can unintentionally download malware, click intrusive pop-ups, share passwords, or forget to log out. Their innocent actions could jeopardize your business's security.
How to handle it:
Just say no to using work devices—"This is my work laptop; here's another device for you." Stick to this rule firmly.
If sharing is unavoidable:
- Create restricted user accounts for children
- Supervise their activity closely
- Disallow downloads and installations
- Avoid saving their passwords on work devices
- Clear browsing history once they finish
Better yet: Consider bringing a dedicated family device for trips, like an older tablet or laptop without work account access.
Streaming on Hotel TVs: Don't Forget to Log Out
Your family wants to watch Netflix on the hotel's smart TV. Someone logs in, but you forget to log out when checking out.
Risk: The next guests can access your account—and if passwords overlap with other sites, those accounts might be compromised too.
Safe practices:
- Use your personal device to cast content to the TV instead of logging in directly
- Set reminders to log out before checkout if you do log in
- Download shows beforehand on your devices to avoid using hotel TVs altogether
Avoid signing into these on shared hotel TVs:
- Banking apps
- Work accounts
- Email
- Social media
- Any accounts with stored payment info
Lost Device? Immediate Steps to Take
Travel chaos means devices get misplaced at airports, hotels, or rental cars. If your device goes missing…
Within 60 minutes:
- Use "Find My Device" to locate it immediately
- If retrieval isn't possible, lock the device remotely
- Reset passwords for crucial accounts using another device
- Inform your IT department or service provider to revoke company access
- Notify clients if sensitive business information was stored on the lost device
Ensure these security features are set before traveling:
- Enable remote tracking
- Enforce strong passwords
- Utilize automatic data encryption
- Have remote wipe capabilities ready
Lost device of a family member? Follow the same security protocols: lock remotely, change passwords, and attempt to locate it.
Rental Car Bluetooth: Don't Leave Your Data Behind
Connecting your phone to a rental car's Bluetooth system for music or navigation often transfers contacts, recent calls, and even message previews to the vehicle.
Failing to erase this info puts your personal data at risk when the car is returned.
Quick 30-second steps before dropping off the car:
- Remove your phone from the car's Bluetooth list
- Clear GPS destinations and history
- Or avoid Bluetooth entirely by using an aux cable or offline methods
Balancing Work and Vacation: Set Clear Boundaries
Trying to mix work with family fun leads to multiple email checks, accidental calls, and pressure that compromises your focus and security awareness.
Honest advice: If unplugging fully isn't an option, establish firm boundaries:
- Check work email only twice a day at set times
- Use mobile hotspots instead of hotel WiFi for work-related tasks
- Conduct work in private hotel rooms, away from public areas
- Focus completely on your family when you're off work—avoid multitasking
The ultimate security tip? Take real time off. Your business will thrive, and you'll be sharper and safer when you return.
Adopt a Holiday Security Mindset
Juggling family and work while traveling is challenging. Sometimes kids need your laptop, and urgent emails will come through during drives. That's life.
The key isn't perfection but intentional risk management:
- Prepare devices thoroughly before departure
- Know which activities pose high risks (e.g., banking on hotel WiFi) and which don't (e.g., email via hotspot)
- Keep work data separate from family usage when possible
- Have a contingency plan for incidents
- Firmly enforce restrictions on device usage when necessary
Make This Holiday Season Safe and Joyful
The holidays are about treasured moments with loved ones—not managing data breaches or explaining mishaps to clients.
With some foresight and simple security practices, you can protect your business and enjoy your vacation worry-free. Your family gets peace of mind, your business stays safe, and everyone benefits.
Need assistance creating travel security protocols for yourself or your team? Click here or call us at 833-863-2120 to schedule a free Consult. We'll help design practical policies that safeguard your business and make travel hassle-free.
Because the best holiday memory shouldn't be "That time Dad's laptop got hacked."
