Topic: USB Drives & USB Keys

[Recce Infinity]

hello,

I dont know if this discussion is a big thing with everyone else, but there‘s alot of hoopla flying around that jumpdrives, usb drives, usb keys and all such other devices are against DND policy for use in DND computers.

I could use some clarification from any MPs or computer guys or anyone else who might know on just what the rule is for use of these Mass Storage Devices.

Thanks

[Bert]

The answer is likely security.

Any mass drives like those that attach to the USB bus or jumpdrives in laptops can easily mirror another drive or quickly record large amounts of data.  The drives themselves are small, detachable, and easily concealed.  Many government departments and companies as a policy reduce the use of these devices.  The policy your department implements should provide a context.

[Doug]

I don‘t know what the heck you guys are talking about?  Almost all DND computers have burners now so a USB drive doesn‘t really make a difference.  No different then floppies even.  In fact, USB drives are the new floppies.  If they are against DND policy, then why does everyone on OP Athena have one?  Why did the NSE issue them to all the clerks, officers, senior NCO‘s, OPS personal, and everyone else that needed one?  I think someone is just trying to pull a fast one on you, sounds like a load of crap to me...

[Bert]

Doug makes a practical point.  CDs can be a portable as anything else.

I work in hi-tech and in this company and department, no USB drive, ZIPPY, back-up device, or recording medium is allowed other than the standard issue PC.  Each computer has a floppy (never used) and a CD-ROM though.  The issue here is the copying of large amounts of data that exceed that of a few CDs and drive mirroring.  Portable drives can record more data and be relatively portable between secure network clusters.  Thats the thinking anyway.

[Recce Infinity]

Personally, I bleive it‘s a load of crap, and I‘ve also been told it‘s a load of crap.

The reasoning behind this rumour is that when you copy something to a floppy disk, or to a bunred CD, the network OS tracks these occurences and what was copied. For a USB mass storage device, the Drive is PnP and the network OS does not record any activities on these drives. Load of Bs if you ask me.

The other reason was that you may inadvertantly deliver a virus into the system that piggy-backs on the drive, but any competent virus scanner would pick that up if you scan the drive before use.

I was hoping that someone might know of a document or maybe a system administrator that could say for sure if these were against DND system use policy.

I guess if people are being issued these dirves, they probably arent against the rules.

[Devlin]

The reasoning behind this rumour is that when you copy something to a floppy disk, or to a bunred CD, the network OS tracks these occurences and what was copied.

None of the things you describe here are network based events. At best they would be caught by Event Log or if the system you were working on had a keystroke logger, it would be caught that way.

IT Joke:

What does MCSE stand for?

Must Call Someone Else.