USB Disk Security

USB Disks are used to transfer data between computers and there are several ways to make USB disks secure.

End point protection software is one available option: this enables only a few systems to read and write onto a specific USB disk. This would make the USB disk far more reliable in terms of the integrity and confidentiality of data that resides on the disk.

Encryption software such as open-source TrueCrypt, allows you to encrypt the data on USB disks in any operating system. Encryption can be done on the fly so no eavesdropping on the data can be performed.

Endpoint protection software such as those from Symantec, McAfee, etc., allows network administrators to configure settings that would allow only a few systems to read from a specific USB disk.

This will allow for the protection of the data on the system should the USB drive be lost. Consider for example a situation where only three people are allowed to read and write to a USB drive. If a fourth person somehow gets hold of the disk, they wouldn’t be able to read or write onto the drive as the endpoint protection agent on this system wouldn’t allow the person to carry out the operations.

The final aspect of the USB drive security is to physically protect the USB drives. This comes down to the individual person who is in possession of the USB disks. The person needs to make sure that he/she does not lose the USB drive and that it is safeguarded at all times.