How to Avoid Data Breaches by Securing USB Drives

With the use of USB at mass level to store data, it is more important than ever before to establish strong policies to protect data. According to a research, companies do not focus much on the security of their USB drives. Businessmen are found to distribute data through USBs without the clearance by their IT department. Only a negligible numbers of business heads are known to keep the records of the number of USBs used in their business activities. Companies think that the real security threat to their data is from the hackers and other external powers. But, the biggest threat to their data is from their own employees. Workers transfer delicate data like financial information of the business, information about clients, marketing strategies or tender information at a large volume that can result in a data breach intentionally or unintentionally.

When companies establish a policy regarding data security, these policies should be communicated from the highest level of the hierarchy to the lowest level. Companies should make their employees understand the policies and emphasize to follow those guidelines. Employees ought to answer their superior in order of any policy violation. The company must Mandate a strict policy for employees, highlighting that no employees that no personal storage devices to be connected to the machines that are operational for business purposes. Personal data storing devices can infect the company’s computers or network systems. All the USB devices or other portable devices should be checked carefully by the IT department. Only those portable devices should be connected to the systems that have been authorized by the IT department. It will be helpful if these portable devices are scanned or a regular basis. IT department should track all the records of the USBs And make logs as to who is using what USB device.

All the data that is saved in USB should be encrypted using 256-bit-AES Standards. Encryption gives an extra layer of security to the data. Data can be encrypted to Hardware or software encryption. However, it is recommended to use hardware encryption as it is more reliable. Data encryption prevents data from being lost.

Every piece of information that you save in a USB should have a back up too. If the data gets damaged, it can be recovered from that back up. IT department should have the command to disable a USB drive remotely. If an ex-employee still has the possession of a USB that has been used for business purpose, he may breach data through it. IT department of a company should be able to change the password with full authority without confiscating the portable drives in their possession.

But, the basic policy that company can establish to instruct their employees to keep data security software for their USBs like USB Secure. USB secure Password Protects USB Drives; it also gives password protection to other portable data storing devices. This type of software can provide complete security to the company’s data without any complexity.

For More Information visit:

http://www.newsoftwares.net/usb-secure