Violating USB ban racks up risks

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HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  You've all seen the USB warnings when you log on to your computer, and there have been numerous articles and briefings from your Computer System Administrator or Information Technology personnel about the illegal use of USB devices in government computers. Yet, despite the many warnings, some of us continue to plug USB devices into our computers and hope to never get caught. The 75th Communications Group continues to identify an alarming number of USB violators.

Why is this? Is it that we simply don't heed these warnings or messages, or just don't realize or take the consequences of our actions seriously? Getting caught using a USB device in your computer is inevitable, but that's just part of the trouble in doing this. Other repercussions are much more serious. Just think of the consequences of introducing a virus into the network and bringing down the entire base network system, or more importantly, compromising the safety and security of our fellow Airmen by inadvertently granting access to critical and sensitive information.

Last November, when the U.S. Army discovered that thumb drives and other flash memory devices were being used to spread computer viruses, worms and other malware, the Army promptly banned them, and the rest of the U.S. military followed suit. In the Nov. 25 notice

announcing its ban, the Air Force said, "Over 40 percent of all viruses and worms are transferred from one computer to another by removable media like thumb drives and the threat isn't just confined to thumb drives. Malicious software can be transferred by other forms of external memory: external hard drives, cell phones, digital cameras, memory cards, digital music players and personal digital assistants as well.

There was another problem, too. Thumb drives are easy to lose and easy to steal. Drives containing sensitive military data turned up for sale in an Afghan bazaar outside Bagram Air Base -- along with other apparently pilfered military gear. The failure to comply with the USB warnings could have jeopardized the safety and security of our troops and mission.

It's clear to see that violating the USB ban can and does have serious consequences and when the damage is done, we can't always undo it. Now, with the ability to scan all computers for illegal USB usage, even if it was disconnected from the network, your chances of getting away with this are slim to none. So, the bottom line is, just don't do it.

With so many other options available, there is nothing that comes to mind so important that you would have to take the risk of using a USB device in your computer. So the next time you think about sticking a USB device into your computer, just ask yourself these questions. "Do I absolutely have to do this and is it worth the consequences?"