Use your own - Computer Security Risks at Trade Shows

As we get closer to year end, there are thankfully not too many trade shows for us to worry about. The IT&CMA, 23-25 October, which will for the first ever time in its 10 year history, be taking place in Bangkok, Thailand. Then the second largest travel trade show in the world,  the World Travel Market (WTM) which having moved from Earls Court, will for the first ever time be at ExCel in London from 11 - 14 November.

These are probably the last two major trade shows scheduled for the remainder of 2002, and they could not come at a better time, where once again we find ourselves in need of meeting to discuss and share ideas on how best to move forward in this uncertain and volatile industry.

Security, both actual and virtual, has become more important than ever, and keeping in touch with offices and colleagues while away at these shows is essential.

All shows now have internet cafes, pavillions etc where delegates are able to make use of computers to check up on email, surf the latest news etc. But how safe are these ? The answer to this depends very much on how security conscious you are. The safest and some would say most reliable method of sending and receiving email is to use your own computer, after all normally only you have access to it, and you yourself are able to maintain the highest levels of antivirus and hacking software available to you.

Using computers other than your own, really means that you are trusting that computer with your password, and perhaps other security issues. As they are public terminals, the computer could indeed have a virus, or even a malicious program installed, that records every keystroke, or just simply the passwords and user names entered on that terminal. While of course companies setting up these computers will, or should, try to ensure that no such code exists we all know how easy it can be for someone to open the wrong attachment and for that computer to consequently catch a virus, which then puts other users at risk.

Therefore if you really want to be secure when travelling we strongly recommend using your own computer especially if it is for important / confidential information or sending / receiving business related emails which you would not want others to see. Why trust your companies security to someone else when your company laptop can do it for you.