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 research, connected devices are now a holiday essential, with people in the UAE relying on them to take photos (53%), find their way from A to B (45%), or call for help if needed (49%). 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 nearly one-in-four (23%) in the UAE 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 in the UAE (82%) agreeing they would feel stressed if they were lost in an unknown place, and (33%) worrying about something like this happening to them.
Dmitry Aleshin, VP for Product Marketing, Kaspersky Lab said, “This incident – and many others – could have been avoided if we all took more care with our connected devices. If we are reliant on staying connected, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, being connected helps us navigate our way around when we’re travelling, and find the best places to eat, drink and stay. But if we are reliant, let’s not jeopardize our safety by losing that connectivity when we’re out and about or in an unfamiliar place!”
Having a security solution that is able to help in different situations, can give users better peace of mind, and help them avoid getting into trouble when they’re away from home. Travelers might in particular find useful the following features included in Kaspersky Total Security:
• Anti-Theft – which helps people to avoid being caught short if their device gets stolen or lost in an unknown place. This feature can lock and locate a lost or missing device, turn on that device’s alarm, and even take a mugshot of the culprit who has stolen it.

• Secure Connection* – helps people stay safe and protected, even if they are going online in unfamiliar territory, and using unknown Wi-Fi. It transfers data via an encrypted channel to ensure personal data safety.
Another useful solution for Android device users – Battery Life is designed to save a mobile user from that dreaded unpleasant situation – when their phone battery starts getting low at the most inopportune moment. Kaspersky Battery Life is free for use and it takes only 15 Mb and runs on the Android 4.1 – 6.0.1 platform. To download the application, click on the link.