It’s December. You’re three hours into the drive to St. George to see family. Your daughter asks, “Can I play Roblox on your laptop?” You hesitate. It’s your work laptop—the one with access to AppFolio, tenant records, maintenance vendor portals, and company financials. You’re juggling work, family, and a mountain of responsibility. But what’s the harm, right?
Here’s the thing: holiday travel presents cybersecurity risks property managers in Salt Lake City don’t normally face. Between checking Yardi from a hotel room and juggling emails while refereeing a snowball fight, it’s easy to overlook basic IT security. But one wrong click or unsecured network can lead to downtime, a breach—or worse, tenant data loss.
At Qual IT, we know the property management grind doesn’t stop just because you’re out of office. So here’s a field-tested guide for Salt Lake City PMs who want to travel and stay secure.
Before You Leave: The 15-Minute Tech Prep Checklist
Device musts:
- Update all software, especially anything that connects to AppFolio, Buildium, or Microsoft 365
- Back up lease agreements, move-out schedules, and rent roll data to secure cloud storage
- Enable automatic lock screen (2-minute timeout max)
- Turn on "Find My Device" or a mobile MDM solution
- Pack your own power bank and chargers (don’t rely on USB ports at airports)
For your family:
- Make clear what devices are off-limits (your work laptop, for starters)
- Bring a secondary device for kid use—Netflix doesn’t need admin access to tenant data
- If a family member must use your laptop, set up a guest account with zero access to business apps
Pro tip: A $150 iPad for the kids is cheaper than the cost of recovering from a ransomware attack or breach of confidential owner documents.
Hotel WiFi: Where Threats Lurk
Every Salt Lake City PM has checked in late and logged on fast—maybe to review a vendor invoice or schedule a last-minute showing.
But here’s the risk: hotel WiFi is a shared network. You don’t know who else is on it—or what they’re doing.
Real talk: Some attackers set up fake WiFi networks that look just like the hotel’s. One slip, and your credentials, VoIP data, and financial logins are compromised.
How to protect your systems:
- Confirm the exact network name with hotel staff
- Use a VPN for anything involving tenant data or logins to PM software
- For anything sensitive—like checking ACH deposits or logging into Yardi—use your mobile hotspot instead
- Keep work tasks and family browsing separate (streaming cartoons is fine; opening QuickBooks is not)
“Can I Use Your Laptop?” – Why It’s a No
As a Salt Lake City operations manager, your devices hold access to everything: digital lease files, VoIP systems, bank accounts, vendor contacts.
The problem: Kids don’t mean harm, but they click pop-ups, download games, or save passwords by accident.
Best practices:
- Don’t let kids use your work device. Period.
- If it’s unavoidable:
- Create a restricted user profile
- Block downloads and remove admin rights
- Clear history and saved sessions after use
Better yet? Pack an old Chromebook or tablet they can call their own. Keep work devices for work only.
Hotel Smart TVs: A Hidden Security Trap
Logging into Netflix on the hotel’s smart TV seems harmless—until you forget to log out. The next guest has full access. Worse, if you reuse that password (and many do), other accounts may be at risk.
Secure TV streaming tips:
- Use your phone or tablet to cast to the hotel TV
- If you log in to the TV, set a phone reminder to log out
- Never access business accounts, banking apps, or email from a hotel television
What If A Device Is Lost Or Stolen?
Holiday travel with multiple properties on your mind? Easy to misplace a device. If a laptop or phone is lost:
Immediate actions:
- Use "Find My Device" or your mobile management software
- If you can’t retrieve it, remotely lock the device
- Change credentials for property management platforms (Yardi, AppFolio, Office365, VoIP systems)
- Notify your Qual IT support rep immediately
Make sure before travel:
- Devices have remote tracking and wipe enabled
- Strong passwords and biometric locks are active
- Business data is encrypted
Rental Cars: Don’t Leave Your Data in the Console
Bluetooth makes it easy to play directions or calls, but rental cars store more than you think—contacts, call logs, even text previews.
Before returning the car:
- Delete your phone from the car’s Bluetooth menu
- Clear GPS destinations
- Avoid syncing contacts or messages altogether
Boundaries: Avoid the “Working Vacation” Security Risk
You promised family time. But here you are—on hold with IT support while the kids start board games without you.
Here’s what we recommend for Salt Lake City PMs:
- Limit work email checks to twice a day
- Always use your hotspot—not hotel WiFi—for sensitive tasks
- Avoid working in public spaces (don’t flash that tenant ledger at Starbucks)
- Set expectations with your team: what constitutes a real emergency, and what can wait
Mindset Matters More Than Perfection
Look, we get it. Property management doesn’t pause just because you’re off I-15. Tenants still call. Vendors still bill. Emergencies still pop up.
But every small action—using a VPN, packing a spare device, saying "no" to risky requests—helps protect the business you’ve worked hard to build.
This season, give yourself the gift of fewer tech headaches.
Click here to book your free network assessment.
At Qual IT, we help Salt Lake City property managers like you create secure, mobile-ready IT environments that travel as well as you do. Whether it’s cybersecurity, mobile device policies, or just peace of mind—we’ve got your back.
