UK travelers should stay alert to cyberthreats if travelling to France this summer, Kaspersky warns

To help people explore the world with greater confidence, Kaspersky presents Kaspersky Safe Travel Insights — a project that brings together the company’s cybersecurity expertise and the local knowledge of its international team. The project offers practical advice on staying safe online while travelling, alongside first-hand tips on destinations, experiences and places worth discovering in over 20 countries.

Cyberthreats targeting tourists in France
According to Kaspersky data, between Q3 2025 and Q2 2026, users in France encountered various cyberthreats that may affect travelers, including:

• 43,268,714 general web threats — malicious websites and other online risks that users may encounter while searching for travel information, booking services or using public networks
• 242,244 password stealer detections — threats designed to collect credentials from browsers, applications and accounts
• 109,935 spyware detections — malicious software that can monitor user activity and access sensitive information
• 392,937 backdoor detections — threats that may allow attackers to gain unauthorised access to infected devices

Experts highlight the key cyber risk for tourists in France
Beyond general threat statistics, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) identifies follow-up scams after data exposure as one of the key cybersecurity risks for travelers visiting France. Tourists should pay particular attention to fraudulent calls, emails and SMS messages that imitate official services.

This threat is particularly relevant in France, where authorities warned in 2026 about data exposure affecting public files and subsequent scams designed to exploit compromised personal information. Once criminals obtain basic details such as a person’s name, phone number or travel information, they can make a later approach appear more credible and use it to request passwords, card details, one-time codes or payments.

Travelers may encounter this risk through messages or calls that appear to come from official services, transport providers, accommodation platforms or other organizations they have recently interacted with. Correct personal details should therefore be treated as a warning sign rather than proof that the contact is legitimate. Travelers should avoid sharing any additional security information, verify the request directly through the organization’s official channels and keep screenshots of suspicious contact, particularly if money or identity data is involved. Security solutions with anti-phishing protection, such as Kaspersky Premium, can provide an additional layer of protection by warning users about suspicious links and fraudulent websites before they share sensitive information.

“Travel is a time when people naturally focus on discovering new places, not on cybersecurity. This is exactly what makes tourists attractive targets: they use unfamiliar digital services, connect from new locations and often make quick decisions. Our research shows that cybercriminals actively exploit these situations. By understanding the most relevant threats in each destination, travellers can take simple steps to protect their data and enjoy their journey with greater confidence,” said Fabio Assolini, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT).

For more travel inspiration, visit Kaspersky Safe Travel Insights, where Kaspersky employees share first-hand perspectives on the places, food and experiences worth discovering in their home countries. The project also highlights the digital threats travelers may encounter in different destinations — from travel-related phishing and payment scams to unsafe public Wi-Fi — and provides practical advice on staying protected while planning, booking and enjoying a trip.

To avoid falling victim to travel-related scams, Kaspersky recommends:

• Book directly through official websites or apps. Avoid following booking or “your reservation” links from emails, texts, or social media messages — go to the airline, ride-sharing, or booking platform directly instead.
• Double-check the URL before entering payment details. Phishing pages disguised as airline, transport, or booking sites often use lookalike domains that are easy to miss at a glance.
• Be wary of “too good to be true” deals, especially those requiring urgent action or unusual payment methods like wire transfers or gift cards.
• Use strong, unique passwords for travel and transport accounts, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever it's offered.
• Only download travel and transport apps from official app stores, and check reviews and permissions before installing.
• Monitor bank and card statements after booking travel, and report any unrecognized charges immediately.
• Only scan QR codes from trusted and verified sources. Carefully check website addresses and payment details before proceeding, and avoid downloading applications or files from QR code links unless their legitimacy has been confirmed. InKaspersky Premium, you can use our Secure QR Scanner feature. The scanner checks links to websites encrypted in QR codes and will notify you when a link to a malicious or phishing website is detected.
• Kaspersky Premium uses AI‑powered scam protection to identify phishing websites and fraudulent payment pages before you share sensitive data. Combines machine learning, real‑time monitoring, and identity theft checks.
• If you need to use public Wi-Fi, theVPN included with Kaspersky Premium helps encrypt your internet connection, providing additional protection while accessing travel services, email or online accounts.