Busted! Twelve technology myths that persist among travelers and put their identity at serious risk

Twelve technology myths persist among travelers who continue to put their identity, personal data and finances at serious risk.

Technology is now an integral part of travel, both leisure and business travel. Technology continues to believe in myths that prevent travelers from keeping their identity and personal data secure.

Below are 12 myths that persist among travelers about the safe use of technology at home and while traveling. I’ve exposed them and recommended ways to deal with them.

#1 Busting of myths related to technology: Hackers pursue identities and personal data of private individuals every day.

Individuals are not the target of the hacker:
Many people believe that hackers don’t care about them because they are not rich and have nothing for the hackers to use. The reality is that we all have our identity to lose. If it gets stolen, it can not only ruin our lives, but it can also be used by hackers to earn a good amount of income. Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and personal data can be sold and resold. Overall the data is very valuable.

Privacy mode is private:
Many, if not most, users believe that they are experiencing complete anonymity when they invoke privacy or incognito mode in their browser. It helps, but it’s far from total. This will erase your traces of cookies and tracing data, but when you leave each website, it does not erase your fingerprint, the list of characteristics unique to a single user, their browser, and their particular hardware setup. Using privacy mode helps, but it’s not a panacea.

Two-factor authentication and long, strong passwords for all financial accounts should always be used for as many logins as possible. Unique passwords should be used for each site.

Two Factor Authentication (2FA) doesn’t help enough to make up for its trouble – wrong:
Whether you’re at home or traveling, 2FA is well worth the effort. At a minimum, you should enable 2FA at every financial institution you use and all payment portals. I use it whenever it’s available. For most sites, 2FA means that after you log in, the site will send you a text message or email with a code to finish logging in. Some sites also let you use a physical USB security key, which I prefer because of its higher security. Some sites now use passkeys, a security advancement to manage login information through public-key encryption.

The use of long, strong passwords or pass phrases is one of the myths associated with technology:
Traditionally, tech users have been using eight-digit passwords for their accounts. We can test the relative strength of passwords at Security.org. I tested a strong, eight-digit password (four digits, one uppercase letter, two lowercase letters, and one symbol). According to the site, a computer can crack that password within eight hours. According to the site, if we create a strong 12-digit password by adding another number, one small and one capital letter, as well as one more symbol to that eight-digit password, then it will take a computer 34 thousand years to crack it. Long, strong passwords work.

Using the same password on multiple sites doesn’t increase the vulnerability much:
It is important not to use the same password on more than one site. By using the same password or just a few passwords over and over again, if a hacker is successful in stealing or harvesting the password, they can login to multiple websites like yours, with multiple opportunities to steal your identity and money. Never re-use the password.

Password managers keep passwords safe through encryption plus backup and make their access easy. Use HTTPS and VPN to keep your data secure.

Password managers aren’t worth the effort to use, this is a busted technology myth:
Between financial sites, shopping sites, reservation sites, etc., the average traveler will probably use at least 100 sites that require a login. Many computer users use a spreadsheet or other type of document to store their usernames and passwords. This is a mistake because it leaves users open to piracy due to unencrypted files, and if it is printed, open to simple theft. They also take time to look up. With Password Manager your logins are encrypted and backed up and therefore safe. Managers also fill in the username and password for you when you visit a site.

You don’t need a VPN if you’re using HTTPS:
Using HTTPS instead of HTTP to protect the data transmitted between your browser and the website you are using is an effective way for websites to secure your browsing data through encryption. This is required while making online payments, sending emails, messages and logging into various accounts. That said, you should use HTTPS whenever possible, it’s not a replacement for VPN use.

HTTPS encrypts only browser traffic, while a VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts all traffic passing through your computer to the VPN server. Then, when your information reaches its final destination, it masks your real IP address and location, protecting your data from interception. The idea is to use VPN and HTTPS together.

Antivirus and anti-malware products are not necessary:
Viruses and malware are causing serious problems to vulnerable electronic devices, making it important to use antivirus and anti-malware products to protect your identity and data.

Set up online banking even if you never plan to use it. Use online access to debit/credit cards to prevent hackers from impersonating you. Be the first to install them.

You don’t need to set up online access to your accounts if you don’t do online banking:
There are many travellers, especially senior citizens, who do not do online banking or do not use online access for their debit/credit cards. This is despite the benefits of online use. I’ve talked to many seniors about their reluctance, and it’s usually because they’re not comfortable using the Internet for more than a little shopping and a few emails to their grandchildren. I advise everyone to create online accounts with their financial institutions immediately.

By creating an account, you prevent hackers from impersonating you, and gaining access to your accounts online. It is important for everyone with debit or credit cards and/or bank accounts to secure access to their accounts online to prevent hackers from gaining control of them. Get help if you don’t know how to do it, but get control of accounts online.

You will never need your bank and credit card phone numbers again:
You never know when you might have trouble with your bank or debit/credit card. Make sure you know the phone numbers of your bank and card issuer. This way you can contact them immediately in case of trouble. Make sure you know their non-toll-free numbers as toll-free numbers are generally useless when traveling internationally.

If you have a cellular account, setup a PIN Account number to prevent hackers from gaining control of the account.

You do not need a PIN for your cellular provider account:
Every cellular phone user should setup a PIN number to keep their account safe from outsiders and possibly take control of the account with a simple phone call. Never share PIN numbers. This is important because 2FA often goes through your cellphone.

It is not necessary to avoid public WiFi networks – one of the myths associated with the technology:
Using unsecured and unencrypted public WiFi networks while traveling poses a risk of data theft. This also applies to your hotel, where you need to enter your name and room number to log in. It is often easy for a thief to figure out who is in which room. You may think you are safe, but you have actually logged into a hacker network. If you must use a public WiFi network, use a VPN service to connect to it to prevent identity theft and data theft.

Understanding these myths is the first step toward overcoming security problems. Taking the precautions mentioned above will dramatically improve your technology security.

Also read:
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The 10 worst travel scams my readers tell me in 2025