Developing a framework for secure use of portable storage devices in a corporate environment

Abstract: Portable Storage Devices (PSDs), also referred to as USB Mass Storage (UMS) devices in this study, are affordable, convenient, practical, and have the ability to interface easily with a number of operating systems and various hardware systems. UMS devices are found among virtually any person in the workplace today. However, UMS devices hold significant security risks, which are often overlooked. These risks arise mainly due to their compact size, storage capacity or the fact that UMS technology is integrated into smartphones, cameras, music players, to name the most significant ones. Considering that UMS technology is incorporated into devices that employees need daily to perform their work, such as smartphones, it is not a feasible option to ban UMS technology from the workplace. Nonetheless, without a guiding framework, UMS devices pose security risks to both organisations and individual users. This study reports on research conducted at a research institution in South Africa to evaluate an employee’s understanding of the security risks to the organisation and to them in person. From the results derived from the research conducted, a conceptual framework model was developed to address the security concerns associated with UMS devices.M.Sc. (Informatics