thumb drives

[jar2163]

I am just wondering if any has an idea as to what the impact on a network is or could be with these devices being issued to multiple persones.

Is there a definite security impact?

 

[Jeff7]

I'd say it could. It gives one more inlet for hazardous files, though it is conceivable that anyone could just buy their own USB thumbdrive to try to subvert a system. But people could bring in stuff like small videos that couldn't fit on a floppy - either porn files or just funny little clips. Too many people don't have enough self-discipline to be able to only play certain files at the right times.
However, for bringing in files too big for floppies, or taking them home for work, USB thumbdrives could be an excellent solution. Fine balance between empowering employees, and risking misuse of the new power...

 

[ChefJoe]

Heh, what's the security impact of allowing users on the machines or allowing CD-ROM drives and floppy drives to be in the system. I think they allow users to carry larger collections of stuff to a system, but represent no more a security risk than allowing users to sit at the computer itself. In the day and age where there's USB HDs and CD-RW drives, the solid state USB drives don't represent any extra risk if you're talking about a smart computer user who really want to wreck the system and I don't think the average computer user is exposing the system to any risks above what they'd be doing if using a floppy.

If anything, I think the ability to stop end-users from doing network shares of all their documents all willy-nilly (to move large files) and finding creative solutions to the floppy transfer size limit represents a more real security gain.