Things you can do with a thumb drive

[Kyobanim]

I've been asked several times for things like this. I haven't tried them but a friend I trust has. He had no problems.

http://komando.com/shareware_show.asp?showID=9675

1. A Web browser
Portable Firefox is a great way to surf the Internet from a borrowed or public computer more privately. You don't have to worry about leaving behind your browsing history. Another benefit is that you get to take your bookmarks (Favorites) wherever you go. Portable Firefox takes up 16.9 MB on a thumb drive.

2. An e-mail program
Portable Thunderbird is the full-feature e-mail program that you can take wherever you go. That means your address book and saved messages travel with you as well. It can be set up for multiple e-mail accounts and offers the mobile convenience of Webmail. You'll need 8.9 MB of space to put Portable Thunderbird on your thumb drive.

3. Programs like Microsoft Office
Portable OpenOffice.org lets you open and work on your documents from nearly any computer. It features a word processor, a spreadsheet, a slide presentation program, a diagramming program and a database management program. Each is compatible with documents from Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Access. So you don't have to take your laptop everywhere you go. If you want this portable powerhouse, you'll need 167 MB to spare on your thumb drive.

4. Adobe Acrobat-like PDF viewer
Foxit Reader is a small, capable PDF viewer. It offers basics like printing and keyword search. Pound for pound, Foxit Reader might even make a decent substitute for the much larger Adobe Reader on a home desktop. Foxit only takes up 2.76 MB.

5. Encryption
Anytime you take work on the road, you should secure the information from thieves. A great way to do this is through encryption. Even if you lose your thumb drive, your documents will be unreadable. TrueCrypt can encrypt everything on your thumb drive. TrueCrypt is not automatically portable, but it is easily made so. Read the steps on using Traveller Mode. The portable version will take up only 599 KB on a thumb drive.

6. Antivirus software
Portable ClamWin is an antivirus program that you can use anywhere. It can scan a hard drive, a folder or an individual file. The only catch is that it does not download updates automatically. Check for updates whenever you use an Internet-connected computer. Portable ClamWin takes up 15.1 MB on a thumb drive.

[mugwump]

7. Put your employer out of business and send yourself and him to jail.

I can see how these are useful (I use them at home), but from my perspective thumb drives are the spawn of the devil. In a restricted environment it's almost impossible to keep track of sensitive data. You can also boot off of them and circumvent security via an alternate operating system distro. Thin clients without ports/drives are a partial solution but not always possible. I would be really, really pissed if I saw one in my shop -- we have a firm policy against them.

That said, TrueCrypt is the shiznit. We donate our old laptops to AD soldiers overseas and spouses here in the states. They have read-only DVD drives but no way to get data off other than the network, so we send 1Gb thumb drives with them - always loaded with TrueCrypt.

"Purloined flash drives containing classified US military secrets have turned up for sale in a bazaar in Afghanistan. Shopkeepers in the marketplace in Bagram claim the kit was sold to them by cleaners, garbage collectors and other local workers at the nearby US airbase."

[MtnGoat]

Just about everything listed by Kyobanim can also be done on your external hard drive.

Firefox is a the Shitz-nit!! Yes this is a great way to surf the Internet from a borrowed or public computer more PRIVATELY. You don't have to worry about leaving behind your browsing history on that public libary computer. Don't think your It guys at work can't see you, but it does help the little people. But if your use other people's computers, take a Thumb drive with Firefox on it!!

Never used this Portable Open Office before Kyobanim, I'll have to look this one up. Thanks!!

Looking for space on your PDA for a Adobe Acrobat-like PDF viewer this is a good start. Yes, Foxit Reader is small PDF viewer.

Encryption on your Drive of whatever size is a must. Look if you Work does use External Drive for all of your traveling file. You need to get one. Great anytime you take work on the road, on deplyement or just TDY. Can't have that thing end up in a bar lost. Its not YOU SHOULD secure the information from thieves - this is a MUST. If you travel alot with file that you don't want people to read. Download or get an Encryption for your drive. We know that there not approved, but what is better. Something open or a locks to slow thieves down?

The use of a Antivirus software or program that you can use anywhere is a MUST. Just like the one your use at home but for the road. Just like Kyobanim said; make a folder or an individual file on Ur drive for it. Yes, you do have to check for updates whenever you use your drive on an Internet-connected computer. Antivirus software or program is a MUST!!

Kyobanim great post

[mugwump]

Originally Posted by mugwump

7. Put your employer out of business and send yourself and him to jail.

What a snippy comment to follow such a great post. Sorry. That is one great collection of free and small software. I've copied it and I'm sure I'll pass it on.

Sorry, bad day.

[keith]

You can actually run an operating system off one.

You can run a small Linux kernel or Windows CE off of your drive in a window on your desktop. You can pack it with whatever software you can fit. The OS will share the network access so that you can get to the internet.

This is great for privacy. Say you want to check your email at a friend's house or something. Pop it in, check it in your OS, pop it out, walk away with no worries. You never actually did anything on his computer so there is no history of it.

I personally have no use for all of the above, but it's still pretty sweet.

[B 2/75]

Originally Posted by mugwump

What a snippy comment to follow such a great post. Sorry. That is one great collection of free and small software. I've copied it and I'm sure I'll pass it on.

Sorry, bad day.

You know, these are indeed words of wisdom...

I had the interview for my periodic update of security clearance last week... a three and a half hour chat with a very beautiful but totally professional investigator... anyway, one of the lines of questioning specifically centers around removable media such as thumb drives. Have you ever introduced any USB-type memory stick into a DOD network... EVER?

As great as they are, when you have secure or classified info on a network, or even on a stand-alone, the presence of a thumb drive is going to equal problems.

[mugwump]

"...a three and a half hour chat with a very beautiful but totally professional investigator." Hmmm...our guy last two times was also very professional but had hair growing on his nose -- I swear you could comb it -- and smelled like garlic.

[SF18C]

Army OPSEC News
5 May 2006 - OPSEC Vulnerability - "Thumb Drives"
All personnel are reminded that digital media to include "Thumb Drives," removable hard drives, CDs, USB and floppy disks are to be properly marked and protected to the level of the sensitivity of the data stored on that media. Failure to do so may result in the compromise of sensitive information which can negatively impact the success of our operations and the lives of our personnel.



In my shop I do not allow any thumb drives near classified systems, but the same goes for cell phones, PDAs, and even MP3 players. If one of my folks ever got caught with portable or wireless gear in my SIPR vault I would personally stick in “their” receptacle! But we do have several NIPR USB keys for official NIPR use. As with any tool, proper usage is important. A "personal" USB stick is not allowed on a Military/Government system by AR 25-6. But if the gov't paid for them and they are properly marked for their classification level they can be great tools.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by mugwump

"...a three and a half hour chat with a very beautiful but totally professional investigator." Hmmm...our guy last two times was also very professional but had hair growing on his nose -- I swear you could comb it -- and smelled like garlic.

Location, location, location.

TR

[keith]

Originally Posted by SF18C

In my shop I do not allow any thumb drives near classified systems, but the same goes for cell phones, PDAs, and even MP3 players.

I'm sure there's gotta be a security setting or tool to disable adding any "mass storage devices" from a user account. If anyone is concerned about this as a security risk, I can drum up a solution for them.

You're right in disallowing phones and other devices. With my phone I can get a dialup internet connection and transfer files over USB or bluetooth connection. Not exactly what Verizon had in mind, but a few google searches and some experimentation will get you there.

If I was concerned about security over USB devices, I'd just rip out the usb ports and use ps/2 mice/keyboards. But, that's just me

[airbornediver]

one thing that I want to add.

Anything you do with software in disabling a port can be undone. Just because you have the most awesome randomly generated password for the admin account, extremely restricted user policies and etc, we are talking about local access to the machine. And access is the name of the game. There is always a way.

That being said, if I was truely worried about USB drives, I'd just have my guys get rid of the usb ports off the motherboard. Its actually very simple to do, though that can't be undone (unless you're up for soldering new usb ports on, and hopefully if someone unauthorized is doing that, you can see that).

I've done many things with removable media, especially before I went to the white hat side of the world, and I continue to do so for research and testing on my own machines.

that said, I love thumbdrives, they're a great way to get or give information quickly.

I know someone that has a password vault on theirs, and that folder is encrypted 2 times over using different schemes and algorithms, its a great way to have important data with you, just as long as its got heavy encryption.

[spectre919]

Saw this in a trade pub and thought I'd share.

Emerging Software Enables A Variety Of Computer Crimes
A US technology firm’s new software - Mojopac - is a portable storage device that is capable of emulating a virtual machine environment.

Mojopac enables software such as Microsoft Office, PC Games, and developer tools to be installed on a portable storage device (PSD) and then accessed by connecting the PSD to a host computer. While connected, the user can toggle between the Mojopac system, and the host computer files can be copied back and forth between the devices through the host computer.

Mojopac leaves no trace of its presence on the host computer once it is disconnected. If the host computer has an Internet connection, Mojopac utilizes the host's connection for its connectivity, including the host's IP address.

Because Mojopac is a self-contained system, any website visited through Mojopac will appear to have been visited by the host computer, but no history, cookies or browser session information will have been created on the host computer.

Mojopac is capable of launching network intrusions, transmitting child pornography, and facilitating other
computer crimes.

[Sionnach]

Concerning Mojopac: I can haul stolen goods or illegal narcotics in my truck, but I don't see Car & Driver talking about the illegal uses of it. This just sounds like sensationalism to me. I can take a CD, throw Linux on it, and hack any Windows machine, or I can run Knoppix and use your machine without you knowing I was even there. Without physical security, no machine is safe. Mojopac is no more dangerous than another other method of cracking machines.

Edit: Wasn't directing that at you, spectre919. I'm just tired of the "can be used for a crime" argument which we see all the time in the assault on the 2nd Amendment.

[Razor]

Following up on the "can be used for a crime" idea, there is a reason folks that work with classified government material are required to have a security clearance, complete with periodic updates. No system is completely secure unless it is unplugged from the network, turned off and unplugged from all power sources, put into a lead box, locked in a safe, and then completely incinerated into ash. Since its rather difficult to get any work done that way, we place trust in the individuals assigned to handle said material, and provide stiff penalties (unless you were in the former Clinton administration) for those that abuse that trust.

Any and all technology will have exploitable vulnerabilities, no matter how hard you try to secure it; the critical point is the human in the loop.