Borders and customs: the situation nobody prepares for
Real rights by jurisdiction (US, UK, CN, RU, IL, EU). Device seizure. Passwords under legal compulsion. Preparing a border device.
Last reviewed May 27, 2026 Business travel
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Travel
Borders, customs, hotels, return from mission: what to prepare before, what to manage during, what to clean up after.
Travel is the moment when operational security gets a real test. A border, a hotel, a Wi-Fi network, a transport chain — each is a point where the threat model shifts, and where approximations cost you.
This axis covers pre-departure preparation by threat level, real rights at border crossings by jurisdiction, particularly constraining destinations (China, Russia, Israel, certain Gulf states), the reality of hotel security, and the post-mortem nobody runs on return.
Hotels: what can be compromised in 4 hours
Room safes (the myth). Hotel Wi-Fi. Housekeeping access. Conference rooms and eavesdropping. Simple routines that change everything.
Last reviewed May 27, 2026 Business travelReturn from mission: the post-mortem nobody does
Device decontamination. Access audit. Credential rotation. Mental debrief. The mistake of resuming as before.
Last reviewed May 27, 2026 Business travelPre-departure preparation: checklist by threat level
Three levels (tourist / standard business / plausible target). Exhaustive kit + accounts + briefing list. When to step up a level.
Last reviewed May 27, 2026 Business travelTraveling to China: an honest threat model
The Great Firewall reality for an executive or journalist. What works, what doesn't. Mandatory local apps. Post-mission return.
Last reviewed May 27, 2026 Exposed profile