Travel

Be aware that in most countries there is no expectation of privacy using provided Wi-Fi networks in Internet cafes, hotels, offices, or public places. In many countries, hotel business centers and phone networks are regularly monitored. Connecting to your Bryant email and other Bryant resources over these networks puts you and the University at risk. Before you travel, Information Services strongly recommends you work with the Bryant Campus Technology Services (CTS) team to be sure your laptop and/or smartphone is set up for secure connections to the University.

Before you set off toward your desired destination, take a moment to be sure a copy of your trip itinerary is documented and available to members of your organization as a means of contacting you while on travel. This will provide the University with a method of reaching you to provide assistance should an emergency (for example, a natural disaster or an act of violence) happen in an area you will be visiting. Make sure you have the latest information about conditions in the areas you are visiting.

A Few Basic Precautions:

• Prior to traveling determine whether your computer contains any sensitive information. If this data is not necessary for your trip, copy it to a secure location such as your network file share and remove it from your computer, or request the CTS group provide you a loaner computer, phone or other device while on travel;
• Software should always have the latest patches. Verify this with the CTS team;
• Use the Bryant VPN client when accessing any Bryant resource while traveling to securely access a remote network. VPNs may be blocked in certain countries (such as China), so make sure you have other means of connecting. If traveling to China, have the CTS group set up a VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) client connection via a loaner device. This is the preferred method of communicating while traveling in China and all destinations outside the U.S. Refer to Section 4.0 of the Remote Access guidelines;
• If your device has a firewall, make sure it’s enabled.

The Bryant email website uses encryption to provide a fairly secure and private connection to your Bryant email even if you must use a public computer to access your email (at a conference, for instance), or if you cannot set up a VPN connection to the Internet while you are traveling. Please keep in mind that public computers could still contain software that monitors what you type.

You can use your Bryant ID and password to connect to Eduroam Wi-Fi networks at many college and university campuses around the world.  Eduroam (educational roaming) is a world-wide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community and allows secure access to the internet using your home university credentials.  The CTS team can assist you if your device isn’t provisioned for Eduroam service.

When overseas, using your phone or Wi-Fi device without considering the additional charges can be a costly mistake.  For this reason, you may want to consider purchasing an international plan. Consult with your manager and/or department head. Contact the CTS/IT Services Desk for details.

Because encryption products can be used for illegal purposes, including terrorist activity, the United States and many of the countries that you may visit may ban or severely regulate the import, export and use of encryption products.  So, taking your laptop with encryption software to certain countries without proper authorization could violate U.S. export law or the import regulations of the country to which you are traveling, and could result in your laptop to be confiscated, in fines or in other penalties.

A group of nations negotiated a set of rules attempting to facilitate traveling with encryption software known as the "Wassenaar Arrangement."  One of its provisions allows a traveler to freely enter a participating country with an encrypted device under a "personal use exemption" as long as the traveler does not create, enhance, share, sell or otherwise distribute the encryption technology while visiting. Click here to view the countries that support the personal use exemption.

Since laws can change at any time, please check with the US Department of State before traveling internationally to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information. Many nations do not recognize a "personal use exemption."  Before traveling to these countries with an encrypted laptop, you will need to apply to their specified governmental agency for an import license. Additional information about international encryption controls can be found at the following websites:

• The Wassenaar Arrangement
• Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce - Export Administration Regulations

• If you didn’t travel with a loaner device, it’s a good idea to assume that your devices were compromised while traveling abroad.
• Don’t trust the applications on your device and do not use the device to do work or connect to services on campus until you have the device checked by the CTS group and they confirm your device for safe operation.
• Change all credentials that you used to access any services while you were abroad.