USB Sticks

The Tip

Have you ever found a USB Stick/Thumb Drive, or a CD on the ground or in a parking lot? Hopefully you did not put this into your computer. While you may be tempted by curiosity to see what data is on there, or perhaps to identify the owner, Do Not insert any of these found objects into your computer.

The Detail

You may think that it is your lucky day… ‘Hey, Free USB Stick!’, but in fact it could turn out to put you in a hot seat with your IT department. This is a common tactic used by bad guys to infiltrate your network and steal information and to gain unauthorized access. Code can be executed simply by inserting these devices into your computer. By the time you can see what files are on it, the damage may have already been done.

The average cost of a cyber attack such as this one on a small company is $200,000. The cost to a large public corporation can cost over $6,000,000 per day of downtime. Always consult UTS on how to handle these situations.

If you have more questions about these topics, please contact UTS, and we’d be happy to offer what guidance we can. There is also a wealth of information to be found using your favourite search engine.

Summer Break

This will be the last issue of the Nipissing Cybersecurity newsletter for this year. Watch for new initiatives in the future. Keep Cybersecurity awareness and diligence a part of your daily routine, always.