With the Singapore Grand Prix drawing crowds and the year-end travel season approaching, Kaspersky is reminding travellers that a new hotel room or rental apartment comes with digital risks that are easy to overlook in the rush of checking in.

Released to mark World Tourism Day, the cybersecurity firm’s advice centres on four areas: the Wi-Fi network guests connect to, the possibility of hidden cameras, the smart devices built into many rentals, and the state of travellers’ own devices before they leave home.

Open Wi-Fi and hidden cameras

Free hotel Wi-Fi is convenient but typically lacks the encryption and authentication of a private network, leaving it open to interception. Kaspersky also warns that fake hotspots mimicking a hotel’s network name are not uncommon, and recommends using a VPN to encrypt traffic and mask a device’s IP address, or buying an eSIM before departure to avoid public Wi-Fi altogether.

On hidden cameras, Kaspersky suggests a few low-effort checks: turning the room’s lights on and off to spot a faint infrared glint, inspecting likely hiding spots such as smoke detectors, alarm clocks and USB chargers, and using a smartphone camera to sweep for the subtle purple glow given off by infrared lenses. Shining a torch at mirrors can also reveal a double image, a sign of two-way glass.

Smart devices and personal data

Smart speakers, locks and thermostats in rented accommodation continuously collect audio, video and usage data that can end up accessible to a property manager or the next guest if an account isn’t logged out properly. Kaspersky’s advice is not to link critical accounts to these devices, to turn off features such as cameras and microphones when not needed, and to check connected-device lists on streaming and email accounts after a trip ends.

For devices travellers bring with them, the firm recommends setting immediate auto-locks, storing sensitive documents such as passport scans in a password manager’s secure vault, and enabling remote location tracking and data wipe features in case a phone or laptop goes missing.