Most of us take our laptops with us when we travel, and we use them to check and send email while on the road. Of course, it’s a risk. Besides outright theft of the device, there could be Wi-Fi data thieves sitting across from us at the airport looking through our files, compromised networks, and all manner of threats. Using public computers available at airport terminals and Internet cafes is no better, the risk of using a computer with a keygrabber installed exists and you could easily lose your password to an identity thief.

Still, we continue to travel with our laptops, and most of the time, come out unscathed. The Department of Homeland Security has issued some advice, according to Information Week, about these risks. When it comes to advice from the goverment, I’m usually of the school of thought that says to ignore it. The report, titled “Foreign Travel Threat Assessment: Electronic Communications Vulnerabilities”, is on the money in encouraging caution, and lays out some realistic threat scenarios that many travelers may not have considered. The report notes that foreign governments themselves may be guilty of targeting computers and electronic devices as a means of gathering intelligence. Don’t ever assume that you will have any type of electronic privacy or guarantees of security.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the United States Government if it didn’t include some impractical advice, and this report is no exception: the report suggests either leaving the laptop at home, or buying a separate “travel” laptop that does not have any sensitive information on it. It further suggests ”refraining from communicating with a home organization’s information technology systems.” Speaking for myself, I need my laptop when I travel, and I don’t have the budget to buy a second one just for trips. and as for “refraining from communicating,” that of course goes counter to the entire purpose of having the Internet and computers at all, which is to be able to stay in touch and have access to information we need while we’re away. Most people would balk at these nonsense recommendations, and frankly, it just ain’t gonna happen. Aside from that though, the report does point out some very realistic threats, and points out that you may not even know you have been attacked until after your data has been stolen. Customs officials may inspect laptops without your knowledge, depending on the country, and they may even copy sensitive information; for this reason alone, it’s a good idea to not leave your emails on your laptop and instead archive them to a separate location before going on a trip. The report also recomends keeping your devices with you at all times, using strong passwords, and encryption for e-mails.