Rick Steves' Crucial Internet Safety Tip When Using Public Computers In Europe

Suppose you need to print something out. You're on the road, staying at a European hotel, and you need a hard copy of a document. No problem, you think, you'll just head down to the business center and borrow a desktop. You log in to your email, download a PDF, and fill out some basic information, such as name and address. Maybe you need to sign this document, so you write your signature as well as you can with the mouse. You save your changes and click "print." As you wait for the document to scroll out of the printer, you might as well check your favorite social media account. You type out a quick update on your life and post it. While the browser's open, why not check your balance? You find your bank's website and log into your account. Then, satisfied with the number that appears, you grab your papers and head back to your room.

This scenario begs a few questions: Did you log out of your email? How about your preferred social media platform? Your bank account? Did you remember to drag that PDF — which contains personal information, including your digital signature — to the "recycle" bin? Once there, did you empty the bin? Throughout this process, did you make sure the browser wasn't saving any passwords?

As travel expert Rick Steves writes in a post on his website, all of these mistakes pose serious risks. Travelers usually worry about what to do if they get pickpocketed, but cybercrime and identity theft are major concerns as well. Many people forget that a public computer retains a great deal of data, which can be retrieved by successive users.

Crime is always a concern for travelers in unfamiliar places, and Rick Steves has written extensively about safety, including a roundup of simple tips to help you avoid theft and warnings against using travelers' cheques on your European journey. As travel continues to involve more devices and apps, digital security is a grave concern. Cybercriminals target Internet cafes and business centers for saved personal data.

Steves doesn't want anyone to panic over their virtual wellbeing. "Aim for a middle ground of cautiousness," he advises, "and protect your devices and personal information." When using public computers, "It's perfectly safe to check train schedules, maps, or museum hours on a public computer. The danger lies in accessing personal accounts that require a login and password." He recommends using "incognito" or "private" modes, so the computer stores neither browsing history nor credentials entered. As for accounts, two-factor identification is always a good idea and should be activated before you trip. That way, even if your passwords are compromised, you can deny access to a would-be hacker and change your security settings.

As for checking financial information, you should only use a public computer as a last resort. "Use a banking app rather than signing into your bank's website via a browser," Steves urges. "The app is less likely to get hacked." You may also think twice about entering your credit card number into a website on a borrowed terminal; if you absolutely must make this kind of transaction, make sure the URL begins with "https" instead of "http," as this indicates a secure site.

This is all excellent advice, of course, but you may also wonder: Who uses a hotel business center nowadays? Do internet cafes still exist, and where would you even find one? It's true that "public computers" have largely disappeared around the globe, now that so many people carry smartphones and can easily use them across borders. SIM cards and travel passes keep smartphones operational in the most obscure corners of the world, and WiFi is available in most hotels and airports, so who would trifle with something as antiquated as a public computer?

Rick Steves is aware of this evolution, and he has advice for mobile devices as well. In short, always protect your phones and tablet with a password, along with any potentially compromising apps you use. "Set up any app that you use for shopping to require facial recognition or a password each time you open it," Steves suggests. "Don't store passwords, PINs, account numbers, or other sensitive information in your Notes/Keep app, or any app that doesn't require its own login." True, these gadgets could be stolen anywhere, but you're particularly vulnerable while traveling, and a well-used phone is like a massive window into your most personal affairs.

Finally, Steves urges travelers to turn on their "Find My" feature, which is available for both Apple and Android. Even if you can't recover the phone itself, you can quickly confirm that it's been stolen rather than just misplaced. The "Find My" feature will likely help you file a police report, and it may even help law enforcement track down thieves. Not sure what you'd function without that dynamic device? Here's what to do if you lose your phone while traveling.