How USB Sticks Cause Data Breach, Malware Woes

Half of businesses have lost sensitive or confidential information due to USB memory sticks, with many incidents involving those infected with malware.

By Mathew J. Schwartz InformationWeek
August 08, 2011 05:15 PM 

In the past two years, 70% of businesses have traced the loss of sensitive or confidential information to USB flash memory sticks. While such losses can obviously occur when the devices get lost or stolen, 55% of those incidents are likely related to malware-infected devices that introduced malicious code onto corporate networks.

Strategic Security Survey: Global Threat, Local Pain(click image for larger view and for full slideshow)

Report: USB Drives create a security risk

Kingston Digital reports nearly 50 percent of organizations lose confidential data on the device  

By Schardé Vallone Published: 

August 09, 2011 01:55 PM

Kingston Digital Inc. (KDI), the Fountain Valley-based Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company Inc., released the results of a study conducted by Ponemon Institute ponemon.org. The study, which looked at USB Flash drive prevalence and security risks in businesses, surveyed a group of 743 IT professionals and IT security practitioners from global companies based in the United States. All of the firms recognized the significance of USB drives from a productivity perspective and warned against the lack of organization and regulations concerning the security of such data storage tools.

Music From USB Device

Easily transferring music from USB device to computer can save you time and money. How? Well, considering the alternatives you'll soon find that file transfer via USB is a lot easier than via CDs, and a lot cheaper than via Zip drive.

• Transfer your music or data files onto your PrintUSB.com flash drive after plugging in your drive into the USB slot on your laptop, PC, or Mac. Your computer should notify you that a third party device has been plugged in.
• Transferring a large number of files can take some time, but you can do so very easily. Depending on your computer, it can be as simple as a few clicks or by dragging the files to the third party device folder on your desktop. Our collection of large capacity drives up to 32 GB provide more than enough space for just about any music collection.
• Don't forget: Keep your USB drive plugged in during transfer, and DO NOT take out the drive before its done uploading the data.

Printed USB drives – Get Your Messages Across

The latest in the never ending range of promotional products currently available are printed USB drives. From big corporations, small & medium companies, to individuals, these printed USB drives are fast becoming indispensable marketing tools. They also make for good corporate gifts in that they ensure a customer’s name  reaches a  wider audience. Furthermore, these same drives can also be used by individuals such as aspiring   musicians, entertainers, artists, writers as well as countless others who can make the most of the huge storage capability offered in these drives, which can, be used to showcase their talent in a very easy and accessible  manner. And the best part is that with printed USB drives, they can get their messages across and leave a lasting memory thanks to the inscription on the drives, which act as a constant reminder of the said company. 

There are a wide range of design options to choose from when selecting a design.

Customized flash drives: Unique promotional gift item

Customized flash drives are also commonly referred to as computer flash drives, Custom Flash Drives, Customized usb flash drives, flash drives, and Promotional Flash Drives.

As is readily known, promotional items are highly useful marketing tools in that they help bolster brand awareness, and in doing so, make an invaluable advertising product. There are a huge variety of promotional items available to choose from in this day and age. Commonly used promotional items include pens, mugs, calendars and watches.  These days, in order to have an edge over competitors it is highly recommended to take advantage of such promotional gift items. One such item available is a Customized flash drive, which offers several advantages over conventional and generic promotional products.

Customized Flash Drive

These days, most of the growing companies use customized USB flash drives as a marketing instrument that portrays the image of a technically advanced company. Companies believe these drives make excellent promotional items. Creating an impact on the target customers is easy with the use of a customized flash drive promotion.

The advantages of using a customized flash drive as a marketing tool is quite remarkable. If you order customized flash drive promotions in bulk, they become very affordable. The main attractive feature of  using a promotional customized flash drives is that you can have your organization's name and logo printed on it.  Users will see your logo every day.

How to promote your business through branded USB flash drives

The new inventive, and sophisticated way to market you're business is by promoting your business through your own personally designed, own business, branded USB flash drive! It is the perfect solution to sending data about your business to your most valued customers. It will highlight you're desire to succeed, your marketing skills, and the sophistication of your business now and in the future.


The lack of rattling parts combined with a durable, robust, design make USB Flash drives really great marketing tools. They'll hold everything a regular drive will hold; music, video, photos, applications, presentations, etc.

Buy Branded USB Drives

Check out these awesome websites to get your own branded USB drive:

PromoKeychain.com Custom Branded Promotional USB Flash Drives

Eco-Friendly Products

http://www.xlogotech.com

http://www.customusb.com/

http://www.brandedusbdrive.com/

http://www.cfgear.com/custom-flash-drives/

http://usbsuperstore.com/USB_Flash_Drives.html

http://www.usbsmg.com/usb-flash-drives.php

http://www.flashwholesaler.com/

Branded USB Drives

Branded USB Drives are the perfect solution for your business/school/event. They’re many companies out there on the internet who specialize in branding USB drives, as well as flash drives, and so on. They will define your company with a product that will be very promotional for whatever you choose.
As far as size, most companies should offer a large range of sizes. Anywhere from 128MB, 256MB, all the way to 4GB and 8GB. The possibilities are really endless when it comes to customizing your drives. You can choose from many different materials for your branded USB drive such as: metal, wood, leather, plastic.

Unique Branded USB drives

Promotional USB drives

If you want the best promotion for your business and wish to remind others about it, you must find unique tactics. Promotional USB drives are the newest promotional tool, where you can store information about your business or presentation of new product or service.
The advantage of the promotional USB drives are the unique style of USB drives and logo that can be imprinted on them. This way you can build your brand and identity perfectly for you on the market place.
If you give promotional branded USB drive to your business partner, you make two good things. First of all, you give to your partner a perfect gift and second of all, you give information on the best high-tech promotional product on the market. You can store on it a PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, instruction manuals, interactive software, music spots or whatever you like.
One of the biggest advantages of USB device is that you can update or replace files on it easily without any costs and so you can always give your costumers up to date information.
USB drives are more reliable than floppy diskette, they have a bigger capacity, a higher transfer speed and they are more durable. USB drives are compatible with most operating systems and are recognized universally.
The price difference between a 4 GB USB stick and a 16 GB USB stick is relatively small. But it is big difference in the amount of data you can store on them. More capacity you give to the users, more useful are USB stick.
For example, on a 4 GB promotional USB drive you can store roughly 2,600 photos or 950 songs. On a 16 GB USB drive you can store 11,000 photos and more than 3,700 songs.
You can get promotional USB drives in any style, color and size, whatever you want. Today it is possible that the USB drive is not used just for storage of your data, but it can be a LED light, opener for bottles, pointer for presentation… You can personalize your promotional USB drives however you want and you think it is the best for your company.
You can chose from many different materials: they are made, for example, from wood, metal, titanium, Swarovski Crystals, jewelry, leather…
Advice before buying a promotional USB drive:
- Ask the seller what class of chip they use. USB drives must have Class A chips. So if the seller doesn’t give information about class of chip, go somewhere else.
- Today most USB drives are version USB 2.0, but in 2011 there will be USB 3.0 in the market. So if you have a choice, then buy a USB 3.0, because they transfer speed much better.
Maybe for someone seems this way of promotion to be expensive, but if we look on a long term and we think about how many people use USB drives every day, than it is very rational choice. This means that if a potential customer has and uses your unique USB drive with your logo on it, it reminds him of your business whenever he uses it. So the promotion with promotional USB drives is not so expensive as it looks at first.

Trends for Branded USB Drives in 2011

If we are looking back in year 2010, we can see that the branded USB drives were the top promotional product in the market and this trend will be continued in 2011 and furthermore.
What are the reasons for their popularity?
1. Branded USB drives are very universal and easy device to store data on it.
2. They are very cheap and their prices continuously fall.
3. They come in many different types, you can choose your own style of branded USB drives, which is the best for promotion of your company or organization.
4. You can choose any colour you want for most USB drives.
5. Most companies use banded USB drives for pre loading on it their PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, instruction manuals, interactive software, music spots… So this way companies save money, because they don’t spend it for printing brochures. So this promotional product is perfect for companies who care for the environment.