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International Travel Guide

These are some basic guidelines and tips for protecting your data while traveling.
For export controls questions, please contact the Office of Grants and Sponsored Research at srcompliance@tcnj.edu or x3255.

  • Bring only the data needed for your trip. If a device is lost/stolen/confiscated you don’t want to lose family photos or other data that may not be stored in another location. In additional only bring the minimum amount of data needed for the trip. Devices may be compromised, so you do not want to risk exposure of any research or sensitive data unless the data is absolutely necessary for the trip.
  • Make sure all software, operating systems, and antivirus definitions are up to date before leaving.
  • Change your TCNJ password after returning home from your trip. Your credentials have a higher risk of being captured while traveling and using untrusted networks.
  • Use VPN while connected to untrusted networks. The VPN software creates an encrypted tunnel for all your network traffic, which prevents eavesdropping.
  • Never use hotel kiosk computers or any untrusted devices. Software could be running that captures all keystrokes entered even without the device owner knowing. Never enter any kind of sensitive information, which includes login credentials, on an untrusted device.
  • If you are traveling for College business, especially to an export controlled country, request a loaner travel device from IT. Leave personal laptops and iPads at home. Use TCNJ manages devices which have the proper security security settings to protect your data. Also, even if you already have a TCNJ managed devices for work, use a loaner device and only transfer the data needed for your trip to the device. Contact the Information Security Office or your Support Specialist for more information about loaner devices.

Please notify the Information Security Office (itsecurity@tcnj.edu 609-771-3372) of your travel dates and locations, so foreign logins and suspicious account activity can be monitored.

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