How safe is your USB drive?

How safe is your USB drive?

What are some of the key security risks to be aware of when using USB flash drives and how can you mitigate the threats?



Most of you probably own at least one USB thumb drive, which you typically use either to transfer data or as a backup for sensitive documents. Alternatively, you may like to carry your work with you so you can dive into it at a moment’s notice. So, if you only plug the flash drive into machines you trust, most of the time you should be safe.


Unfortunately, if you’re like most people, you may not always use only trustworthy devices. For example, students tend to use flash drives to print out their study materials and other documents at print shops or libraries. They also tend to allow their classmates to borrow them or pass them around. And these practices aren’t just limited to students. Since you can’t tell how either the print shop or your friends manage their devices, or what their approach to cybersecurity is, you can’t be sure about anything.


If any of those devices has been infested with malware, it’s highly possible that your drive is now infested as well, or your files copied from it for nefarious purposes. When you plug your USB stick into your own computer, then the malware will probably spread to it too. This is known as cross-contamination and is a common way for malicious code to spread.


Another thing you have to watch out for is what data you store on your drives. Although you may consider it highly unlikely, there is always a chance that you may misplace it, or it may be ..

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