Before You Leave
Extra consideration must be taken with your technology when traveling outside the United States. Concerns range from basic theft of belongings to targeting of data used by academics. It is important to prepare properly and use appropriate safeguards while traveling.
Bring Only What You Need
- Leave personal data, restricted university data, devices, and other items like ID cards and credit cards at home.
- Do not travel with hardware or software that is subject to export controls. Contact the Department of Research and Compliance at 479-575-4572 or rsicadmn@uark.edu for more information, especially if traveling to an embargoed country.
- Back up your personal device data before traveling.
- Contact your mobile provider to find out your plan’s roaming policy.
Verify Encryption on Your Devices
If your university-owned devices are not encrypted, contact the IT Help Desk.
- Review State Department travel guides for best practices and destination information.
- Purchase a USB data blocker to avoid data theft. Use a USB data blocker whenever you plug into an outlet to charge your phone.
- Make sure your laptop is up-to-date with all operating system and antivirus software updates.
- Securely delete personal, sensitive and restricted data.
- If possible, use a temporary laptop that has had its storage securely deleted and the operating system and applications freshly installed or on a separate hard drive.
- When not using your phone, carry it in a Faraday bag to protect against data theft.
- Use an inexpensive prepaid phone instead of traveling with your own personal devices.
Workstation Security Travel Standards
The university’s IT Security Office recommends all travelers be cognizant of the conditions in the countries they will be traveling in and to. Travel conditions and advisory levels can be found on the US Department of State website.
Travel Advisory Levels
Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
Level 2: Exercise increased caution
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Level 4: Do not travel
When traveling to a level one or two country, university employees should travel with an up-to-date university workstation and media. See Workstations requirements below.
When traveling to a level three or four country, university employees should consider postponing travel until conditions improve. When travel cannot be postponed, employees should travel with sanitized workstations and media, meaning a fresh university OS installation and configuration without any university or personal files. Any media that will receive data should be encrypted, and there should not be any data processed or kept on devices that reside in these countries.
University Managed Workstation Requirements
Windows
- University installed latest Windows Operating System
- Intune (system updates and security patching)
- Microsoft Defender for endpoint (Virus Protection, formerly known as Defender ATP)
- Bit locker (hard drive encryption)
- Global protect (university VPN)
- ThreatLocker (provides elevated privileges for installs and updates)
Linux
- Up to date and supported version of Linux
- Monthly patching mechanism (security patching)
- Microsoft Defender for endpoint (Virus Protection, formerly known as Defender ATP)
- Encrypted file system
- Global Protect (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, RebHat) (university VPN)
Mac
- Latest version of MacOS
- Intune or Jamf (system updates and security patching)
- Microsoft Defender for endpoint (Virus Protection, formerly known as Defender ATP)
- Hard drive encryption (FileVault)
- Global Protect (university VPN)
General Technology Travel Advice
- Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use.
- Only connect to trusted networks and turn off “connect automatically.”
- Use the VPN when connecting to Wi-Fi or wired network.
- Take your own charging cables.
- Do not use public charging stations.
- Do not put your workstation in a checked bag or leave it unattended.
- Hotel safes are not safe.
- Keep digital copies of important travel documents on a separate, encrypted USB drive.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Make sure several people have your travel itinerary and know how to get in touch with you.
- US State Department Smart Travel Enrollment Program (STEP).
International Travel
For more information about international travel, visit the Division of Research and Innovation's International Travel site.