Using USB drives holds immense security risks for companies dealing with sensitive data, so storing corporate files on external devices is a big no.
Here we outline some of the most critical security risks when using a USB drive – especially when it comes to business devices.
Are USB drives secure?
USB drives may be easy to carry around and use, but the convenience comes at the expense of significant security risks. For that reason, many big corporations and SME businesses have banned USB flash drives from their workspace.
What issues can USB drives cause?
The biggest threat that comes from plugging in a USB drive is virus or malware infection. When a computer comes in contact with malicious software or manipulated firmware, that leads to a serious (and often undetected) security breach.
Hacker attacks through unsafe USB drives, on the other hand, are difficult to trace and stop. That allows cyber intruders to spy on computer users almost indefinitely.
Another issue caused by using unsecured USB drives is data loss or leakage. Losing drives loaded with sensitive information causes abruptions in the work process, as well as potential noncompliance.
Compromised data can slow the development of the company and damage your brand image. Depending on the damage, it can interfere with milestones, roadmaps, and business strategies.
Put shortly, using USBs can cause one or more of the following issues:
Malware infections;
Security breaches;
Data loss;
Data leakage;
Reputation damage;
Noncompliance.
79 percent of cyber threats originating from USB devices or removable media lead to critical business disruption in the technology environment.
So what should you do?
The best solution is to drop USB portable drives entirely since they are convenient but highly ineffective in terms of security.
If this is not an option, the second action Kappa recommends is using encrypted USB flash drives with Native Encryption. This provides a layer of protection should a USB flash drive with sensitive data fall into the wrong hands.
Computers can also be configured to block USB drives from being used by using remote management tools from IT Support companies in Orlando like Kappa Computer Systems.