Research
Malware on Removable Devices Nearly Doubles
According to a new report, malware being delivered via removable media, such as USB drives, nearly doubled last year.
The
2021 Honeywell Industrial USB Threat Report found that some 37 percent of threats were designed to take advantage of removable media. Of
those, according to the report, 79 percent could cause “significant
disruption” to operations.
The report noted that USB usage was up 30 percent during 2020. Almost a
third of threats were trojans. Slightly more than half of threats
established remote access.
"USB-borne malware was a serious and expanding business risk in
2020, with clear indications that removable media has become part of
the playbook used by attackers, including those that employ
ransomware," said Eric Knapp, engineering fellow and director of
cybersecurity
research for Honeywell Connected Enterprise, in a prepared
statement. "Because USB-borne cyber intrusions have become so
effective, organizations must adopt a formal program that addresses
removable media and protects against intrusions to avoid potentially
costly downtime."
The full
report is freely available on the Honeywell site.
About the Author
David Nagel is editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Technology Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal and STEAM Universe. A 29-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.
He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEDavidNagel (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).
