In nowadays prolific information and technology era, your personal or private computerized data is the fodder which feeds an absolutely vast global interconnected information system as more and more companies and organizations are going paperless. Unfortunately few have actually thought about potential consequences of no longer having data physically accessible, but in the form of bits and bytes. A paperless society is convenient, but at what cost?
A very popular device for carrying around all those computer bits and bytes (1's and 0's) of data is called a USB Thumbnail Drive or Memory Stick.
What is an USB Thumbnail Drive?
• Sometimes referred to as a USB Stick or Flash Drive
• Used to carry, store or transfer data like, documents, photos, etc.
• Data stored on USB devices are stored in memory on a computer chip
• USB storage devices can hold from 8 Gigabytes of data to 50 Gigabytes - up
USB storage devices can hold a tremendous amount of data on a device you can fit in your palm and they're relatively in expensive. Think about this. If you own a USB thumbnail drive of only 32 Gigabytes this is equivalent to carrying around 32,000 novels in your pocket.
Thumbnail drives were once the sole domain of use for special operatives, spies, government agencies and large multi-billion dollar conglomerates - no more. Now anyone with about USD $30 can purchase the same type of device which will also hence be referred to in this article as a "USB spying gear drive".
Ironically USB spying gear drives greatest strength, i.e., small size is also its greatest weakness. Yes, USB thumbnail drives are small and convenient for carrying large amounts of data; however by sheer nature of their size they can also be easily misplace, or stolen without notice - until you need your data.
How frustrating is it to lose your important or private information not knowing if it's floating around town, in a coffee café or between the seats of your vehicle? Perhaps if you are lucky a "Good Samaritan" will find your "USB spying gear device" and take the time and effort to return it. Or perhaps you get lucky and find your device in an office desk drawer. Unfortunately, the laws of probabilities are not in favour of these scenarios.
The question now becomes what should you do to protect your data on your USB thumbnail drive in case the unexpected happens?
1. Choose to never place any data on your USB thumbnail drive which you cannot afford to lose or that you would not want in the hands of others.
2. Always make regular backups of your data onto either an external hard or a CD/DVD medium
3. Investigate software available on the market which will allow you to encrypt (encode) your data making it unreadable without having a password or key which hopefully is only known to you.
4. There are other methods incorporating both encryption and other technical methods to protect data
Always keep in mind your USB thumbnail drive is essence spying gear as mentioned. Think about how many hospitals, insurances companies and other corporate entities using thumbnails drives regularly to holding information you entrusted to them to keep safe. What do you think would happen if one of those USB thumbnail drives was lost or worst stolen to secure vital information contained on the drive.
Yes, unfortunate events do and can happen. However, most cases never hit the front page news unless the organization or company involved get called out by either a Whistle blower or someone leaks to information to the press. Think about the case of a trusted military officer who leaked extremely sensitive and semi classified data to a company called Wiki Leaks. He used a simple USB spying gear drive, again easy to conceal. He easily copied data from the main computer system - supposedly protected - to his USB thumbnail drive. Then through various means the data ended up in the hands of Wiki Leaks. You know the rest.
As individuals we have limited or no control over these type of outrageous transgressions which compromises your private and confidential data, not to mention potential national security issues, when held by a trusted organization, agency or corporation. However, you do have control over data place on USB spying gear drives in possession.
Treat data on your USB thumbnail drive as you'd expect your hospital, insurance company, or other agencies entrusted to handle your private data. You would not want it leaked or placed in the wrong hands. Accidents do happen, but insofar as possible one should try to protect data which is in one's direct control and access.
As a general rule of thumb one should never carrying or place on an USB spying gear device anything one cannot afford to lose or on a USB device that is not properly protected through means of strong encryption algorithms.
I'd encourage you as the reader to further investigate on how you can safely protect your data whether on an USB thumbnail storage device, your computing device at home or at the workplace.
Many people and companies use paper shredders as a regular part of business practice to protect private documents (data) or information not meant for circulation which is smart. As a consumer using sophisticated USB spying gear devices, i.e. USB thumbnail drives, the same practice should apply. I would submit not protecting your computer data can cause potentially harm. You need not be a highly skilled computer technician to protect your own data on your personal USB spying gear drive. Be proactive and try to mitigate any potential problems for yourself or others who entrust you to hold secure data.
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