Data Security: Encrypted USB Keys to Avoid Data Losses
- USB keys grow cheaper every year and now fit in the daily lives of especially careless users. In fact, these low cost tools often contain critical data –the value of which could hardly be quantified (personal or professional information, proprietary data, etc.). In addition, they can carry security threats likely to affect the organisation’s IS.
- The Swedish manufacturer BlockMaster AB surveyed more than 1,000 office workers in London and revealed that almost 75% would not hesitate to connect a flash drive they found to their workstation, and, 20% confess they have already lost a USB key containing unprotected sensitive information. Yet another survey by Credant Technologies (December 2010 to January 2011) with the help of 500 dry cleaners and laundries, then extrapolated to the 4,500 laundries in the whole of UK, assessed that more than 17,000 USB keys were lost this way in 2010.
- These figures lead us to question the notion of data security and prove that USB keys must be encrypted to avoid data disclosures; they also show that the protection measures implemented by the organisations must be revised.
- The Information Commissioner’s Office now can impose sanctions (fines up to 500,000 pounds) in case of non compliance with the Data Protection Act.
- These evolutions clearly show that now popular handheld devices should benefit from more security measures (smartphones, laptops, tablets, USB keys, etc.). In fact, loosing devices that are often dedicated to information storage can be risky both for the individual carrier and for his organisation (impact on the company’s image, information leaks, etc.). In addition, these contents can later be appropriated by fraudulent organisations: sold and/or used to serve malicious ends (identity usurpation, embezzlement, etc.).
Source: AcAfee Report – Economies souterraines
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