External Hard Drives & Flash Drives

We all appreciate the convenience and extra storage that removable devices provide us.  Flash drives allow you to carry smaller files around with you and hard drives are often used as backup devices.  Like most electronics, these devices are susceptible to damage from magnets and liquids.

Tips for safely using flash drives:

• When you insert your flash drive into any computer always scan the device for viruses before accessing the files
• Carefully consider the data you are transporting on your flash drive and weigh the implications of possibly losing that information, or transporting it in another, more secure, way
• Use passwords and encryption to help secure the information on your flash drive
• Remember to back-up your data in case your USB flash drive is lost or stolen
• Never plug an unknown USB drive into your computer.  If you find a USB drive, don't connect it to your computer to view the contents or identify the owner. It is possible that malware may be installed on the device that could infect your computer