The Risks of Using Portable Devices

Overview

Portable devices such as jump drives, personal audio players, and tablets give users convenient access to business and personal data on the go. As their use increases, however, so do the associated risks.

Using portable devices can increase the risk of data loss (when a physical device is lost), data exposure (when sensitive data is exposed to the public or a third party without consent), and increased exposure to network-based attacks to and from any system the device is connected to (both directly and via networks over the internet).

This paper describes the risks associated with using portable devices as well as what you can do to minimize these risks. Recommended practices are provided for portable storage media, smart devices, and portable devices in general.