By Colin Richardson

Festivals seem to do strange things to a person. I think we can all agree that they have the power to turn the most rational, organised, level-headed soul into a gurning lunatic. And none more so than the annual beer swilling competition that is Oktoberfest.

Unfortunately, for many tipsy punters, inhibitions are not all they lose at Munich’s world-famous festival. Last year, over 1,000 passports, 520 wallets, 425 keys and 390 mobile phones went missing. The tent-hopping, alcohol-maxing environment at the fest can also make it the ideal environment for predatory thieves to operate in.

In 2011, there were 470 cases of theft, which doesn’t sound a lot considering there were 6.9 million visitors, but that’s little comfort if you were one of those unfortunates to have had their mobile or wallet half-inched.

With this in mind, here are a few tips for mobile survival to keep you safe and happily boozing into the wee small hours. Prost!

Mobile survival at Oktoberfest

• Make sure you only access trusted networks. If you have to go public Wi-Fi, don’t log into personal accounts like email as these could be snooped on by cybercriminals
• Lock your mobile device – at least this will provide some protection if it’s lost or stolen
• Only download legitimate Oktoberfest apps – others could be loaded with malware
• Invest in a mobile security app – it’ll keep you browsing safely, limit data loss, and block malicious app downloads
• Always back up data to the cloud –  if you lose your device, all your info will be safe and sound
• Don’t say something you may regret on social media – real-time communications and plentiful alcohol can be a bad mix, so make sure any posts are only viewable by friends
• There’s an app for everything these days – turning our smartphone into a modern day life-support machine, especially when we’re out of our comfort zone and in a strange land. Look out for the following we’ve chosen to help make your life a whole heap easier:

Trend Micro™ Longevity for Android – Battery Saver

Trend Micro™ Mobile Security – Personal Edition

Trend Micro™ Mobile Backup and Restore
I work for Trend Micro and opinions expressed here are my own.

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