Why I Stopped Using Hotel Safes (And What I Do Instead)
After a hostel in Prague taught me hotel safes are security theater, I rebuilt my valuables strategy from scratch. Here's what actually works.
security
Articles filed under security
Automating Security Monitoring While Traveling
How I built a self-healing monitoring stack that alerts me to intrusions, misconfigurations, and service failures—without needing a 24/7 SOC team or reliable internet.
Building a Pre-Trip Security Audit Routine
The 48-hour checklist I run before every international departure—device hardening, credential rotation, backup verification, and the stuff I learned by forgetting it once.
Secure Payment Methods in Countries Where Banking Infrastructure Is Broken
ATMs that clone cards, mobile wallets that leak transaction data, and banks that freeze accounts without warning. Here's how I move money when the system can't be trusted.
Coordinating Multi-Time-Zone Incident Response
Playbooks for running incident response across time zones—handoffs, tooling, and communication rhythms that keep coverage continuous.
Rebuilding a Compromised Phone Mid-Trip
Step-by-step process for wiping, rebuilding, and securing a smartphone after compromise while you’re still on the road.
Travel-Friendly Physical Security Gear That Actually Works
The compact hardware I pack to secure hotel rooms, co-living spaces, and temporary offices—door jammers, sensors, and tamper-proofing tested on the road.
Keeping Client NDAs and Contracts Safe While You Travel
Systems for secure contract signing, storage, and retrieval on the road—digital vaults, legal quick-reference, and incident response if documents leak.
Anti-Surveillance Tradecraft for Travelers
Practical techniques I use to detect tails, reduce digital exhaust, and stay boring when operating in higher-risk environments abroad.
Remote Threat Hunting from Hostels Without Losing Evidence
How I run cloud-based threat hunts and handle evidence safely when traveling—lab setup, log collection, and bandwidth-conscious workflows.
Pop-Up SOC: Monitoring Incidents from Airports and Layovers
How I spin up a lightweight security operations center from airport lounges and gate areas when incidents hit mid-travel.
Protecting API Keys and Secrets While Working Away from HQ
How I manage API keys, tokens, and secrets on the road—temporary scopes, rotation workflows, and CI hardening so nothing leaks when I’m coding from a hostel.
Why Your Email Gets Flagged More When You Travel
Real-world tactics I use on the road to keep my email out of the spam folder when hotel Wi-Fi, VPN hops, and new devices freak providers out.
How I Vet Local Fixers and Drivers Before Handing Them the Keys
Field-tested process for sourcing, screening, and managing local fixers or drivers—background checks, contracts, payment security, and exit plans.
Keeping Corporate Data Compliant Across Borders
A field guide for remote operators who carry regulated data across jurisdictions—data mapping, DLP controls, and legal guardrails that travel with you.
Co-Living Security Inspection Checklist
The walkthrough I perform before committing to a co-living space—access control, roommate vetting, network hygiene, and emergency planning in under an hour.
How to Tell If a Wi-Fi Network Is Safe
A field checklist for evaluating new Wi-Fi networks before you hand over your passwords or corporate logins.
Safe Ways to Access Bank Accounts Abroad
How I manage banking, transfers, and 2FA while traveling full-time without giving fraud departments a heart attack.
How to Set Up a VPN on a Router
Step-by-step instructions for putting your travel router behind a VPN so every device stays protected on sketchy networks.
Safe Ride-Hailing Playbook for New Cities
My protocol for vetting ride-hailing drivers, routes, and handoffs so late-night pickups in unfamiliar cities stay predictable instead of risky.
The Real Dangers of Hotel Wi-Fi
Real incidents I’ve encountered on hotel networks—rogue access points, credential harvesting, captive portal bait—and the playbook to stay safe.
What Is a VPN and Why You Actually Need One
A traveler’s explanation of VPNs—what they encrypt, what they don’t, and how they save you from the wild west of public Wi-Fi.
Why Hotel Wi-Fi Still Isn’t Safe in 2025
Three hotel Wi-Fi breaches I investigated this year and the defensive playbook that came out of them.
The Border Crossing Tech Checklist I Run Before Customs
My pre-flight ritual for hardening laptops and phones so border inspections don’t expose client data or lock me out of my own gear.
How I Keep My Password Manager Travel-Ready Without Lockouts
A pragmatic workflow for slimming vaults, staging backups, and surviving travel lockouts when you live inside a password manager.
Securing Airbnb Smart Locks Before You Trust Them
How I audit smart locks the minute I arrive—checking logs, changing codes, and adding redundancies so a glitch doesn’t leave me sleeping in a hallway.
My Travel Incident Response Kit (Digital + Physical)
Everything I carry to handle device theft, data breaches, or sudden outages while traveling—and the drills I run so I can deploy it under stress.
Staying Ahead of SIM-Swap Attacks While Using eSIMs Abroad
How I keep multiple eSIMs active without inviting SIM-swap fraud—carrier settings, identity locks, and monitoring tactics that actually work on the road.
Building a Portable Records Vault for Passports, Visas, and Permits
How I mirror my critical travel documents in multiple formats so a lost passport or random checkpoint never derails a trip.
How I Handle Cash, Currencies, and Hidden Fees in High-Risk Cities
Systems I use to manage cash safely in cities where ATMs, taxis, and street bureaux can all bite you if you’re careless.
The 2024 Secure Travel Checklist
Conduct pre-trip threat sweeps, tighten your digital footprint, and harden your on-the-ground routine with this field-tested checklist.