Counteracting known risks

USB flash drives have definitely made data transfer and storage very convenient. To make the most out of these tiny yet powerful devices it’s important to understand the possible risks associated with using them and to have knowledge of how to overcome those risks.

Getting a virus is perhaps the most common risk associated with USB flash drives. Kids (and adults!) swapping games, images and files can end up infecting the family computer. USB flash drives are often connected to various mobile devices and different networks which increase the chances of them being infected with viruses. So, how do you protect your USB flash drive from viruses?

Unfortunately, the Autorun of a USB drive may be where a virus can be hidden. Windows uses Autorun to give you the option to explore, open or copy the contents of a USB drive. If this is enabled, Windows will read the flash drive automatically and inadvertently infect the computer with the virus in the process. Disabling Autorun may prevent this.

It is important to scan your USB flash drive before transferring any data to or from your USB flash drive. Most of the time this keeps your USB drives clean. You can try various free antivirus software such as Panda, Avast, and AVG.

Another possible risk for USB flash drives is the corruption of data. Do you religiously follow the 'Safely Remove your USB Device' instructions on your computer or other devices? If you are in the habit of simply pulling out the USB flash drive from the USB port as soon as you’ve finished, you could end up losing important data.

Even if you think that you have closed all the files on the flash drive, it is possible that the device is still active in the background without any visible indication. If you have important data on your USB flash drive and no back up, you might lose the data. Disconnecting the flash drive is so simple - right click on it and select 'Safely Remove Hardware' or double click the icon in the system tray of your computer.

What about data lost due to the loss of the device itself? A USB drive carrying nearly 16,000 student and employee social security numbers was stolen from Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee, causing embarrassment for authorities. Encryption of data can prevent such data from being accessed, even if a drive is stolen. There are free tools available to encrypt data on a USB flash drive.

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