IGX

Going to Georgia (country of) and would like to take my phone and my laptop. Problem: both have my financial stuff on them. Brokerage accounts mostly.

So, do I leave that stuff at home or what?

Laptops are prime target for thieves even in the U.S. I had to take an ethics class about not working on stolen equipment and how to spot such.

If I where you I would leave them both at home and get a burner phone.

Apparently they have crazy surveillance going on there of all telecommunications.

http://www.theglobalist.com/nsa-on-ster ... -republic/

When my relatives go to Ireland they buy a burner right there. The phone works via Ireland's cell network and some people's plans do not include International. Check first or get charged out the yang.

If you are determined, ask yourself this question, "What would it cost me if I lost this computer or phone?"

My first suggestion would be to back up everything right before you leave, then change out the sd cards in the phone and the hard drives in the computer for ones that are essentially blank if this is feasible.

My second would be to encrypt your hard drive using bitlocker or truecrypt. Not going to thwart Governments, but the average yahoo, absolutely. Use a pass phrase not a password.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025462/ ... thing.html

It probably depends what you would be doing in Georgia.

I would get a burner phone, which I usually do when in a country for more than a few days anyway.

Don't you have an inexpensive laptop you could use for this kind of thing?

Phaedrus wrote:It probably depends what you would be doing in Georgia.

I would get a burner phone, which I usually do when in a country for more than a few days anyway.

Don't you have an inexpensive laptop you could use for this kind of thing?

I'm not too worried about theft. I'm freaked about people getting a hold of my financial info.

seeahill wrote:

Phaedrus wrote:It probably depends what you would be doing in Georgia.

I would get a burner phone, which I usually do when in a country for more than a few days anyway.

Don't you have an inexpensive laptop you could use for this kind of thing?

I'm not too worried about theft. I'm freaked about people getting a hold of my financial info.

Yes, that wouldn't be on either the burner phone nor the backup laptop.

If you believe that you may need the data, put it on a USB drive and swallow it before you head to the airport. For a guy your age, a bran muffin and 48 hours should be enough to get it back in your hands if necessary.