They are a core part of endpoint security, and they protect data assets and computer systems from security threats. USB control & encryption refers to the set of mechanisms and techniques used to secure and control the access of devices to USB ports. As such, controlling the access of portable devices, removable media, and USB storage to endpoint devices is critical for maintaining a secure network. Virtually everyone uses them however, their accessible and portable nature makes them prone to data leakage, theft, and loss.įor instance, users who are unacquainted with proper security controls will routinely transfer sensitive data to a USB drive without encryption.Įmployees could also bring compromised USB drives from home, plug them into their work systems, and inadvertently, introduce malware into the corporate network. There’s no denying the convenience of USB media, from hard drives and flash drives to other portable media. While USB ports make things easy for users, they can be quite a nightmare from a security perspective. GPS units, cameras, and cell phones use these same ports to transfer data, receive updates, and charge their batteries.

A USB flash drive allows users to easily store and transfer information between devices via USB ports. The USB port serves as a means of connecting almost anything to a computer.

When looking to block USB drives within Microsoft Intune, it’s very important to plan ahead as a failure to do so may cause disruption to users and require extra additional steps to remediate, the main question that should be answered before proceeding is “Do I want to block all users or a subset of users from accessing USB drives?” Decide this early, if you wish to allow USB drives for a subset of users then create an additional AAD group with the users or devices present so we can exclude them from the policy.Learn about USB control & encryption in Data Protection 101, our series that covers the fundamentals of data security.

Mac not detecting usb device endpoint