A Simple Guide to Securing USB Memory Sticks

Since their introduction the USB memory stick has been hailed by those fed up with the shortcomings of the floppy. Their small physical size, satisfactory speed and ever-increasing storage capacity makes them the most convenient device to use for transferring files from one place to another. However, these very features can introduce new security risks and amplify risks that already existed with floppy disks. The primary risks associated with USB memory sticks can be identified as:
Virus Transmissions - Data sharing opens up an avenue for viruses to propagate
Corruption of data - Corruption can occur if the drive is not unmounted cleanly
Loss of data - All media is susceptible to data loss
Loss of media - The device is physically small and can easily be misplaced
Loss of confidentiality – Data on the lost physical media can be obtained by others
Virus Transmissions

Whenever files are transferred between two machines there is a risk that viral code or some other malware will be transmitted, and USB memory sticks are no exception. Some USB memory sticks include a physical switch that can put the drive in read-only mode. When transferring files to an untrusted machine a drive in read-only mode will prevent any data (including viruses) to be written to the device. If files need to be transferred from an untrusted machine, the only countermeasure is to immediately scan the memory stick before copying files from it.

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