SHARE
Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp

The State of USB Drive Insecurity

Just about everybody uses a USB drive these days, but very few stop to think about the security implications of devices that are passed around like digital trinkets. A new survey of 743 IT security professionals, conducted by The Ponemon Institute on behalf of Kingston Digital, a unit of Kingston Technology that specializes in Flash […]

Written By
thumbnail
ITBE Staff
ITBE Staff
Aug 10, 2011

Just about everybody uses a USB drive these days, but very few stop to think about the security implications of devices that are passed around like digital trinkets. A new survey of 743 IT security professionals, conducted by The Ponemon Institute on behalf of Kingston Digital, a unit of Kingston Technology that specializes in Flash Memory, finds that while awareness of security issues is rising, these devices are not particularly managed.

Obviously, this situation has not only created a significant opportunity to lose data due to negligence, but also allowed distributors of malware to take advantage of gaping security holes.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 1

Click through for results from a USB drive security survey conducted by The Ponemon Institute on behalf of Kingston Digital, a unit of Kingston Technology that specializes in Flash Memory.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 2

Everybody uses them but nobody manages them.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 3

You can’t manage what you don’t know about.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 4

Half or more do not.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 5

Most everybody.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 6

Having a policy is one thing.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 7

Enforcing it is another matter.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 8

Security awareness seems to be rising.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 9

It’s a matter of faith.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 10

Most really can’t.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 11

Passwords and locks are starting to be applied.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 12

A whole lot.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 13

Not that many.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 14

Regulations drive behavior.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 15

More than likely.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 16

These are only the ones reported.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 17

Most likely.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 18

The average is well over 10,000.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 19

Well more than half.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 20

Employees don’t tell about negligence.

The State of USB Drive Insecurity - slide 21

It’s a rising problem.

Recommended for you...

10 Top Data Companies
Tom Taulli
Jul 24, 2022
Unifying Data Management with Data Fabrics
Litton Power
Jun 17, 2022
Top Big Data Storage Tools 2022
Surajdeep Singh
Jun 16, 2022
8 Top Data Startups
Tom Taulli
May 20, 2022
IT Business Edge Logo

The go-to resource for IT professionals from all corners of the tech world looking for cutting edge technology solutions that solve their unique business challenges. We aim to help these professionals grow their knowledge base and authority in their field with the top news and trends in the technology space.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.