Don't Plug It In! How to Prevent a USB Attack
In the age of email-based cyberattacks, it's easy to forget that hackers can also penetrate systems large and small using physical components, especially USB devices. According to a Honeywell Forge report, 79% of USB cyberattacks are capable of disrupting operational engineering, such as the day-to-day functions of an industrial facility. Fifty-one percent of them can grant remote access to an attacker. But it's not just big business that should protect itself from these threats; Individuals should also be wary of them. Here we explain what a USB attack is and how you can avoid falling victim to one. What is a USB attack? A USB attack does pretty much what it says on the tin: it uses a USB-connected device, such as a thumb drive or hard drive, to inject malicious software onto a computer or other USB-connected device, such as a laptop. B. bring a smartphone. Bad USB devices can also be used to damage or destroy a computer by giving off an electrical charge. One of th...