Using face recognition to unlock your phone while traveling abroad could potentially compromise your privacy, warns Dr. Shaanan Cohney, a cyber security lecturer at the University of Melbourne. This cautionary advice follows in the aftermath of a major security breach at an airport in Indonesia concerning passengers’ passport information.
In this security mishap, three Australians who recently ventured separately to Bali, experienced similar incidents. Their full names, dates of birth, passport info, photos and even other personal details of other travelers materialized when they scanned a QR code on an Indonesian visa document.
The alarming leakage of online information is a matter of significant concern, says Dr. Cohney, as it doesn’t offer much comfort to individuals whose data is let loose on the internet. Individuals might feel particularly helpless in these circumstances and may feel the need to take drastic measures such as cancelling their passports. However, reliance on the Australian government to advocate for them in this case is essential.
Whether one’s data is in danger while traveling largely depends on one’s personal circumstances, advises the Australian Passport Office. While the breached passport may still be utilized for international travel and identity verification, it is substantial to recognize the risks of identity theft and exercise caution when providing your passport details to any third party.
Dr. Cohney asserts that risks are not significantly higher while traveling overseas as compared to one’s vulnerability at home. He points out that even in domestic settings, unwanted data breaches can occur, indicating that residing within national borders does not mean immunity from such incidents.
Noting a similar situation that had occurred earlier this year, he talked about how members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program could see the names and booking information of other passengers due to a technical glitch, not a cyber attack.
As an expert in cyber security, Dr. Cohney suggests some beneficial tips to help people stay cyber-safe while vacationing overseas:
1. Be Aware: Just like at home, one should be cognizant of their surroundings and what they are doing with their digital device while abroad.
2. Disable Face Unlock: Enabling face recognition won’t directly result in a data breach, but it makes it easy for a thief to unlock a secured device. In some jurisdictions, such as the USA, border authorities are prohibited from asking for your PIN, but the same restrictions don’t apply to facial recognition.
3. Retain Hard Copies: When traveling, one should consider keeping a photocopy of key documents like passports, visas, and air tickets in both physical and digital form in your email.
4. Stay Connected: Utilizing an eSIM or enabling roaming ensures connectivity at all times while overseas. Access to the internet may come handy in unexpected sticky situations.
Lastly, if one believes that their travel data might have been compromised, there are numerous resources available online providing more information and services. These include the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), the Australian Government’s websites for Scamwatch and Moneysmart, and IDCARE, a not-for-profit national identity, and cyber support service.
