Member Article

Research from Kaspersky Lab reveals how vulnerable we can be when we lose our connection

Imagine you are in a foreign country, lost, and with no way of getting in touch with anyone who can help you. Well, when phones or tablets break, when devices run out of battery, or when connections go awry, this is a nightmare scenario that many have been left facing. According to Kaspersky Lab , connected devices are now a holiday essential, with people relying on them to take photos (63%), find their way from A to B (55%), or call for help if needed (51%). In fact, people are so reliant on their devices, that 39% can’t even imagine travelling anywhere without them.

Kaspersky Lab research has found that people are dependent on staying connected when they are travelling, meaning that when their devices go wrong, or their connection gets lost, they very quickly become vulnerable. It’s a common phenomenon – the research found that one-in-six (17%) have had travel issues as a consequence of losing connectivity.

Stories from the research range from people not being able to find somewhere to stay, to missing a call about a flight change, or ending up with food poisoning after not being able to look up information online about where to eat.

One anonymous respondent to the study even said that he got stuck in a desert when his smartphone turned off. This scary situation would have been easy to manage if he’d had a connection. However, without being able to use his smartphone, he was left in danger.

Getting stuck in a desert is an extreme example, but not having a working connection is a concern for many, with most people (84%) agreeing they would feel stressed if they were lost in an unknown place, and with two-fifths (39%) worrying about something like this happening to them.

David Emm, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab, says, “In an age where we need to be connected in order to go about our day-to-day activities, we need to be more careful with our phones and tablets to avoid being stuck without our beloved devices. Whether or not we should be so reliant on connectivity and our phones is up for debate – but there’s no denying that the internet helps us navigate our way around when we’re travelling, find the best places to eat, drink and stay, and keep in touch with family and friends. However, given our dependence on our mobile devices, we must be careful to avoid jeopardising our safety by losing that connectivity when we’re in an unfamiliar place!“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Emm .