Welcome to “Ask a security trainer,” the column where the Digital Security Training team at Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) answers your burning questions at the intersection of journalism and security. Submit yours here! Let’s jump right into this week’s question.

Dear DST,

The holidays are almost here! Any digital security travel tips I should keep in mind?

Thanks!

Outta Here

Dear O.H.,

I hope you have relaxing, fun holidays ahead! But I also know that as a journalist, you’re much more likely to be traveling with sensitive info (or access to it) on your phone and laptop. So take a minute to prep and you’ll be in much better shape to get ahead of travel downers like device loss, theft or confiscation.

Let’s keep things easy with a checklist of steps to take for device security when traveling. Here are a few things to work through.

While you’re packing your bags:

Shortly before venturing forth:

  • Print your tickets and any other documents you’ll need when en route (so you don’t need to open your devices to access them on the road).
  • Sign out of email and any other sensitive accounts.
  • Delete unwanted browsing history.
  • Remove sensitive chats.

At the airport, or anywhere else you might risk device seizure:

  • Power down when going through security. This will enable full disk encryption, and ensure your mobile phone and computer require a passcode to unlock.

For extra credit:

If you’re traveling internationally or want to further minimize risk to your device(s), you could take a more comprehensive approach. This might entail a factory reset and rebuild of your mobile phone or laptop computer for a clean slate.

The opposite tack, likely quicker but potentially riskier, is to start from your current setup and remove or delete sensitive data. Finally, you can avoid interfering with your daily driver(s) altogether by planning to bring a secondary travel device, provided cost is not a barrier.

No matter which route you choose, take some time to:

  • Make a list of the apps and/or software you will need, starting with:
    • Password manager
    • Two-factor authentication app
    • Browser
    • VPN
    • Secure messaging and calling
    • Travel-specific apps (airline apps, ride-sharing apps, etc.)
  • (Optional) Create new accounts for travel purposes:
    • Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive
    • Email
    • Signal (a second phone number may be needed)

For those starting from scratch via a factory reset or a secondary device, your next step is to make sure your operating system is up to date. Download the necessary software and apps from reputable sources, and check their settings to make sure they meet your privacy standards.

(Based on recent experience, I recommend taking time to familiarize yourself with any new apps and software. Consider living with newly created accounts for a bit. This will help ensure you’ll have access when you need it.)

You are now free to work your way through the must-dos covered at the start of this column!

If instead, you’ve opted to remove sensitive information from your everyday mobile phone and laptop computer before travel, spend some time auditing your device. Delete or remove any sensitive software, apps, files, photos, sensitive contacts, chat histories, and browsing histories. When deleting files and photos, check the “recently deleted” or “trash” sections of your apps to make sure they’re gone for good.

You, too, are now free to revisit the must-dos covered at the start of this column.

My final piece of advice for this column and for the year is to take a moment to reflect on the good work you’re doing. No matter what beats you’ve been covering, 2025 has likely been a wild ride. I hope you can find a moment of calm as we look forward to a new year.

Best wishes to you and yours,

Davis Erin Anderson