Control the use of removable media on system components.

Removable storage devices such as USB thumb drives can contain malware. If you allow the use of them on your systems you increase the risk of malware infections. USB thumb drives are also a convenient way to extract data from your environment. By controlling the use of removable storage devices you can improve your security posture.

Write a policy restricting the use of removable media. Your objective is to limit removable media to the smallest number needed. Ideally, you should block all removable storage devices from functioning on your systems unless they are on a white list. Scan all removable storage media for viruses on a separate computer before using them on your systems. If possible, configure your anti-virus software to scan removable storage devices. Create an inventory of removable media controlled by your organization.