It is strongly advised that you avoid storing confidential information on a USB flash drive and choose more secure storage devices to ensure the safety of your data. The compact size of USB flash drives makes them convenient to carry but also increases the chances of losing or stealing them. This vulnerability poses a severe threat of data loss, leaks, and breaches, which can result in significant financial loss and damage to the reputation of organizations.
Using a flash drive, follow these 7 tips to secure your data.
- Buy an Encrypted USB.
Encryption secures sensitive data by making it accessible only to those with a decryption key. When purchasing a flash drive, opt for a military-grade one with 256-bit AES hardware encryption, the most robust algorithm.
Other features to look for in an encrypted USB flash drive include:
- Tamper-proof protection
- Anti-virus scanning
- Brute-force protection
- Password protection
- TAA Compliance
- Remote management capabilities
- FIPS 140-2 Certification (Level 3)
- Compliance with industry security standards, such as HIPAA, SOX, and GLBA.
2. Use USB Encryption Software.
Microsoft Windows users can use BitLocker to encrypt their flash drives instead of buying an encrypted flashdrive. Note that encryption hardware provides better security than software.
Microsoft’s instructions for enabling BitLocker are available below:
View instructions for enabling BitLocker in Windows 10
View instructions for enabling BitLocker in Windows 11
3. Have a Backup
You may only recover the stored data if your flash drive is recovered, stolen, or damaged. Even if a lost or stolen flash drive is returned, you shouldn’t use it again as it could potentially have ransomware or another type of malware installed. The best assurance of recovering the data on your flash drive is to have a backup of all files saved in another storage location, such as cloud storage.
4. Delete Data After Use.
After you have saved, edited, and transferred your data from a USB stick, it is recommended that you delete it immediately. You should then remove the flash drive from the USB port and store it securely to prevent any possibility of losing it or having it stolen.
5. Install Anti-Virus Protection
With different types of malware emerging daily, keeping your software up-to-date is crucial. Use antivirus software that offers malware protection across all endpoints, including hard drives, USB devices, and SD cards – one can infect all.
6. Keep Software Up to Date
Zero-day exploits take advantage of unpatched software vulnerabilities – a common attack vector that can have devastating consequences. Cybercriminals can easily access, edit, and steal data from vulnerable systems and devices, including USB storage. Installing software updates as soon as possible prevents cybercriminals from taking advantage of these vulnerabilities. Most operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS / Apple iOS, and Linux, offer auto-updates to ensure you remain protected.
7. Use Alternative Storage Methods
Flash drives, there are better answers than not to take your data security seriously. Even the most secure USB drives differ from modern data storage methods, like cloud storage. Cloud services offer many innovative security features, such as the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). SASE is a cloud security model that leverages firewalls, cloud access service brokers (CASBs), secure web gateways (SWG), and zero-trust network access (ZTNA). Cloud security mechanisms include Cloud Security Posture Management and Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM).
Despite their strong security capabilities, like all third-party vendors, cloud services carry third-party risks and other risks specific to their functionality. Organizations and individuals must conduct due diligence to ensure their cloud providers are following appropriate data security requirements.
