The convenience of a USB drive is hard to deny. They are extremely portable, light-weight, and contain vast amounts of storage space. While they are readily available and commonly depended on to store and transport important files and information, there are some risks involved with their use. Here are a few reasons why you should be more cautious when using a USB drive.
A Double-Edged Sword
Hackers enjoy the same convenience afforded by USB drives as any other user. The widespread popularity of the devices make them an easy entry point for hackers to access private computers and the files they contain. Hackers can even use your USB drive to infect other computers with malicious code. As long as the device is not suspected of being infected, malware can spread rapidly from computer to computer. It’s not just computers which are at risk, or even the source of such an infection. Any device with a USB port can become a target or the source of a hacking attempt through the use of a USB drive. This includes tablets, digital picture frames, and cameras. As more devices become digitized they become increasingly vulnerable to attack.
Physical Attacks
Attackers can also use USB drives to steal information directly from a computer. If they have physical access a computer, an attacker can download sensitive information directly onto a USB drive. This is true even of computers which have already been turned off as a computer’s memory remains active for several minutes after the power has been turned off. If an attacker has physical access and can plug a USB drive into the target computer and initiate a quick reboot of the system. They can then copy the computer’s memory, passwords, encryption keys, and other data, onto the drive. Victims of this type of theft may not even realize that their computers were attacked.
Simple Theft
An obvious risk but still important to consider is the simple loss or theft of a USB drive. Because they are so small and easy to transport, they are also easy to lose sight of. If you have sensitive information on a drive, the loss of your information can be harmful if you do not have your files backed up in a separate location. If the contents of a USB drive are known to an interested thief, it might take additional time for you to even realize the device and your privacy had been compromised. Keeping that in mind, it is worth reevaluating what information you decide to keep on a USB drive.
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