Can a USB Infect My PC?

They are small, they are portable, they come in trendy designs, and have enormous utility! Those tiny USB devices have come of age to manage our bulky data with utmost ease, which one could not imagine a few decades earlier. From working professionals, to homemakers, and huge organizations, they form an inseparable part of our lives. Who would have thought some 20 years ago that a company’s financial data occupying a physical space of nearly 50 pages could be accommodated in a small device.

However, this utility device is meant to delight but it could also dread its users. Let’s see how.

Why Do I Need to Worry?

Being an intelligent computer user, you must be aware that viruses and Malwares have wrecked havoc in the lives of many. You use technology to ease up your work, but there is a dark side to everything. The same holds true for technology as well. You rely on these mobile storage media to carry just anything- your important presentation, company data, those treasured holiday photographs and snaps of your kids, that extremely important recipe you jotted in a hurry, even your mobile phone backup, and what not. But, at the same time you must be aware that they are being used as carriers of malicious programs such as- various kinds of computer viruses and Malwares, Trojans, worms or any other latest threat possible.

IT experts suggest that a substantial chunk of computer worms spread through infected pen drives. The very fact that they are portable, makes them ideal means of carrying out virus attacks. Your co worker or subordinate might involve in such an act with the motive of destroying your data and information. However, computer infections can spread unintentionally as well. You may unknowingly insert an infected device in your PC, which was previously used on a public computer, without carrying out a virus scan. This is how viruses spread.

How Can I Stay Clear of Such a Threat?

Evading Malware infections spreading through flash drives is not as difficult as it might seem. You simply need to keep a check on your personal mobile storage device and any other portable media attempting to access your PC. You must scan a USB every time you insert it into your computer. Moreover, you must keep your antivirus software updated with latest virus signatures. It is always good to employ a total security solution which performs automatic virus updates and has a powerful scan engine.