The Business Owner’s Guide to Safe Holiday Travel (Without the Data Breach Drama)

5 Dec 2025

You’re halfway through a long drive to visit family. Your child asks, “Can I play Roblox on your laptop?” It’s your work laptop—the one with client files, financial data, and access to your business systems. You’re tired, the drive’s not over, and honestly, keeping them entertained sounds like a win.

But here’s the catch: holiday travel introduces security risks you don’t face in your normal routine. You’re distracted, connecting to unfamiliar networks, and mixing family time with “just checking work stuff.”

Whether you’re travelling for business, pleasure, or a bit of both, here’s how to protect your data without ruining the holiday.

Before You Leave: 15 Minutes of Smart Prep

A quick checklist before you hit the road can save you hours of stress later.

Device security:

Install all pending updates

Back up important files to the cloud

Enable auto screen lock (2-minute timeout)

Activate “Find My Device” on phones and laptops

Charge your power bank

Pack your own charging cables and adapters

Family boundaries:

Explain which devices are off-limits

Set up a shared tablet for entertainment

If needed, create a separate user account for kids on your laptop

Pro tip: A basic tablet for the kids is cheaper than dealing with a data breach.

Hotel WiFi: What Most People Get Wrong

Hotel WiFi is convenient, but it’s also risky. These networks are shared by hundreds of guests, and not all of them have good intentions.

Real scenario: A family connected to what looked like hotel WiFi. It was actually a fake network set up nearby. Their online activity—including passwords and emails—was intercepted for two days.

How to stay safe:

Verify the network name with hotel staff

Use a VPN when accessing work files or email

Use your mobile hotspot for sensitive tasks like banking or client work

Keep work and play separate—kids can stream on hotel WiFi, but you should use mobile data for business

“Can I Use Your Laptop?” – Why It’s Risky

Kids don’t mean to cause trouble, but they click pop-ups, download games, and forget to log out. On a work device, that’s a serious risk.

Better option: Bring a dedicated family device for travel.

If you must share your laptop:

Create a separate user account with limited access

Supervise usage

Don’t allow downloads

Avoid saving passwords

Clear browsing history after use

Streaming on Hotel TVs: Don’t Forget to Log Out

Logging into Netflix on a hotel TV seems harmless—until you forget to log out. The next guest could access your account, and if you reuse passwords (please don’t), they might try them elsewhere.

Safer options:

Cast from your own device

Set a phone reminder to log out before checkout

Download shows ahead of time and skip the TV altogether

Never log into hotel TVs with:

Banking apps

Work accounts

Social media

Anything with saved payment info

If a Device Goes Missing

Holiday chaos means devices get left behind. If it happens:

Act fast:

Use “Find My Device” to locate it

If it’s not recoverable, lock it remotely

Change passwords for key accounts

Contact your IT provider to revoke access

Notify affected parties if sensitive data was involved

Before you travel, make sure your device has:

Remote tracking enabled

Strong password protection

Automatic encryption

Remote wipe capability

Same rules apply if a family member loses their device.

The Rental Car Trap: Your Data Might Stay Behind

Connecting your phone to a rental car’s Bluetooth can leave behind contacts, call history, and even message previews.

Before returning the car:

Delete your phone from Bluetooth settings

Clear recent GPS destinations

Or better yet, use an aux cable and skip the connection

Working on Holiday: Set Boundaries That Work

You promised this was family time, but you’ve checked emails 47 times and taken three “quick” calls. Aside from the family tension, this constant switching makes you less alert to security risks.

If you can’t fully unplug:

Check work emails at set times (e.g. morning and evening)

Use your hotspot for work tasks

Work in private spaces, not public areas

Be present when you’re with family

Best practice: Take real time off. Your business will survive, and you’ll return more focused and secure.

The Holiday Travel Security Mindset

Let’s be real—perfect separation between work and family isn’t always possible. But being intentional about risk makes all the difference.

Key takeaways:

Prepare devices before you leave

Know which activities are risky (hotel WiFi for banking) and which are safer (hotspot for email)

Keep work data separate from family use

Have a plan if something goes wrong

Know when to say, “Not on this device,” and stick to it

Make This Holiday Memorable for the Right Reasons

The holidays should be about connection, not compromised data. A few simple steps can protect your business and keep your family time stress-free.

Need help setting up secure travel protocols for your team?
Let’s make sure your business stays protected—on the road and beyond.

08 8922 0000

The Business Owner’s Guide to Safe Holiday Travel (Without the Data Breach Drama)

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