Traveling with phones, tablets or laptops can mean increased risks to both your privacy and the University’s data.
When traveling internationally for work, only use university-owned devices to access University systems. The use of personal devices to access University data, software or enterprise applications when traveling internationally is permitted provided the device meets the security requirements within the Bring Your Own Device Standard.
Before You Go
- Register your trip with the Office of Global Affairs at https://international.wvu.edu/travel/registration.
- Review the International Travel Security Standard.
- Consult as soon as possible with your department or college IT support staff to discuss what data you plan to generate and/or collect and what WVU systems you plan to access while traveling abroad. ITS recommends using devices specifically reserved for international travel. Your college or department may have a loaner device you can take just for your trip.
- Your department or college IT support staff will need to check the device you are taking abroad to ensure it is configured securely and will update any software, including anti-virus protection, to make sure you are running the most secure version available.
- Turn on “Find my Device” tracking and/or remote wiping options in case your device is lost or stolen.
- Clear your device of any content that may be considered illegal or questionable in other countries, and verify whether your destination country has restrictions on encryption and/or encrypted digital content. Encrypt your device to the highest standards allowed.
- Back up WVU data on your devices to OneDrive.
Protecting Devices and Data During Travel
- Always maintain Effective Control of your device(s). This means keeping them with you at all times or securing them in a locked environment, like a hotel safe.
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to avoid automatic connections, and assume that your data is being monitored on any wireless network you use.
- Avoid connecting to public USB charging stations. Bring an AC adapter to use instead of USB.
- Pay attention to people nearby who may be monitoring your activities.
- Only connect to secure HTTPS sites.
- NOTE: The General WVU and HSC VPN are not available outside of the United States; instead use the clientless (SSL) VPN if you need to access a WVU system abroad, including email. Access your WVU email on your WVU laptop using the Outlook web client (instead of the desktop client) when you are not in the United States.
- If you only plan to check your email while you are out of the country, ITS recommends installing the Outlook mobile app on your smartphone and leaving your WVU device at home. Instructions to download the Outlook app can be found on the ITS Self-Service site.
After Your Trip
- Change your WVU Login password and personal passwords for all the services/systems you accessed while abroad.
- Perform a full virus and malware scan on your device before connecting it to the WVU network.
- If you have particular concerns that your University Device may have been compromised, take it to your department or college IT support staff for inspection before connecting them to the University network.
Travel to Embargoed Countries
Devices may not be taken to a destination that is identified as an embargoed country or region by the U.S. government. Embargoed countries include Iran, Cuba, North Korea and Syria. Certain other countries require a license to import technology. For more information on these restrictions, contact the Export Control Office at exportcontrol@mail.wvu.edu or (304) 293-8614.
Travel to the European Union
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union (EU) creates stricter penalties for member nations that fail to secure personal data. This regulation requires greater accountability for storing, processing and transferring data, including personally identifiable information such as name, email address or financial information. WVU strongly recommends that anyone traveling to the EU follow the guidelines in this document to help keep your personally identifiable information protected.