[staff-physics-and-astronomy-HL-UHD-UD] Important: New Travel Protocols on Data & Knowledge Safety

Beta NAT Secretariaat natsecr.beta at vu.nl
Mon Jun 15 16:06:59 CEST 2026 

From: Wever, G.P. (George) <g.p.wever at vu.nl>
Sent: Monday, 15 June 2026 15:13
To: Beta NAT Secretariaat <natsecr.beta at vu.nl>
Subject: Important: New Travel Protocols on Data & Knowledge Safety

Dear colleagues,

I would like to inform you about the updated travel protocols regarding knowledge safety, information security, and data protection when traveling internationally with VU equipment.



Please note that several supporting documents and appendices are not yet available in English. To ensure everyone is informed, I have included the most important points in this email.



However, if you are traveling, you are expected to review the full protocol (currently available in Dutch) and adhere to all requirements. As soon as an English translation becomes available, I will share it with you.



These guidelines are important to reduce risks such as data breaches, espionage, and unintended sharing of sensitive information-especially when traveling to higher-risk countries.



Below is a summary of the key points and required actions:



  1.  Risk awareness
     *   Countries are classified into Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red risk categories.
     *   The higher the risk level, the stricter the required measures.
     *   You are responsible for checking the risk profile of your destination (and transit countries) before traveling.



  1.  What you MUST do before travelling
     *   Only take necessary data and devices - minimize sensitive information.
     *   Store documents securely (e.g. OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint).
     *   Use strong and unique passwords for all accounts.
     *   Prepare for a worst-case scenario (loss, theft, access by third parties).



  1.  For Yellow / Orange / Red countries:
     *   Use a VU travel laptop and phone (standard or mandatory depending on risk)
     *   Install secure communication tools (e.g. Teams, Signal).



  1.  For Red countries (high risk):
     *   Using a travel laptop and phone is mandatory
     *   Do NOT take your regular VU devices
     *   Request travel devices well in advance



  1.  During your trip - critical behavior
     *   Avoid public Wi-Fi; use secure connections or VPN.
     *   Never use unknown USB sticks, cables, or devices
     *   Do not discuss sensitive information in public spaces
     *   Stay alert to unusual interest in your work or personal information
     *   Do not log in on shared or public computers



  1.  In higher-risk countries (Yellow/Orange/Red):
     *   Always use VPN when accessing the internet
     *   Use only VU-approved systems and storage
     *   Keep devices with you at all times
     *   Limit access to sensitive data strictly to what is necessary



  1.  In Red countries:
     *   Use travel devices only via secure hotspot/mobile data
     *   Close browser after each session (clears data automatically)
     *   Avoid installing or connecting anything external
     *   If your device is inspected, connected, or software is forced:

                                                              i.      STOP using it for work immediately

                                                            ii.      Report it as a security incident



  1.  After your trip
     *   Change all passwords immediately
     *   Return travel devices to IT for security checks
     *   Report any:

                                                              i.      Loss or theft

                                                            ii.      Suspicious behavior or approaches

                                                          iii.      Possible data exposure



<https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/d8b6f1f5-816c-005b-1dc1-e363dd7ce9a5/1fa3ec01-6b56-4840-b36b-1dd4f188c814/Kader%20Kennisveiligheid%20VU.pdf>Online documenten (NL only)  Kennisveiligheid voor VU-medewerkers - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam<https://vu.nl/nl/medewerker/onderwijs-en-onderzoeksbeleid/kennisveiligheid-voor-vu-medewerkers>

  *   Reisprotocol Kennisveiligheid.pdf<https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/d8b6f1f5-816c-005b-1dc1-e363dd7ce9a5/6e0240fe-4a33-4892-8508-3ad082a2b259/Reisprotocol%20Kennisveiligheid.pdf>
  *   Stroomschema Reizen Kennisveiligheid.pdf<https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/d8b6f1f5-816c-005b-1dc1-e363dd7ce9a5/516833f4-93b7-4604-88bb-0e7f2b795e61/Stroomschema%20Reizen%20Kennisveiligheid.pdf>
  *   Landenlijst Reizen Kennisveiligheid.pdf<https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/d8b6f1f5-816c-005b-1dc1-e363dd7ce9a5/0dea673b-f198-4fe8-b292-489bb91f3146/Landenlijst%20Reizen%20Kennisveiligheid.pdf>





Thank you for your attention and for helping us keep our data and knowledge secure.
Best,
George
Met vriendelijke groeten,
George Wever
Coordinator Bedrijfsvoering, Natuur- en sterrenkunde
Faculteit der Bètawetenschappen (BETA)
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Werkdagen: ma, di, wo, do | T +31 (0)20 59 83700 | g.p.wever at vu.nl<mailto:g.p.wever at vu.nl>
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