Explore the cybersecurity risks posed by removable media devices such as USB drives, external hard drives, SD cards, and optical discs. This tag covers attack techniques like BadUSB, autorun exploits, and data leakage, along with organizational policies and technical controls to manage removable media securely.
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The $0.97 Device That Cost a Defense Contractor Millions In 2008, a USB flash drive infected with the Agent.BTZ worm was plugged into a U.S. military laptop at a base in the Middle East. It took the Department of Defense 14 months to clean up the damage,
In January 2022, the FBI issued a public warning that the cybercriminal group FIN7 had been mailing malicious USB drives to U.S. companies — disguised as packages from Amazon and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The drives, once plugged in, deployed ransomware onto corporate networks. This
A Parking Lot Full of Malware In 2016, researchers at the University of Illinois dropped 297 USB drives across a campus. Nearly 48% were picked up and plugged into a computer. Some were plugged in within six minutes of being dropped. That study still haunts me because the fundamental behavior
In January 2022, the FBI issued a public warning that the cybercriminal group FIN7 had been mailing malicious USB drives — disguised as gift cards and COVID-19 guidelines — directly to U.S. companies. The drives contained ransomware. Employees plugged them in. Networks fell. That campaign wasn't some edge case
A $1 USB Stick Took Down a Defense Contractor In 2008, a USB flash drive infected with the Agent.BTZ worm was plugged into a U.S. military laptop at a base in the Middle East. That single device triggered what the Pentagon called the most significant breach of U.
