Overcoming the Problems

Overcoming the Problems

Using a bad drive can do some very bad things

What you are about to read is like an old-fashion action-thriller book or movie. There is a very mean-spirited evil villain, and, happily, a protagonist to save the day. Only our story is very real; there is nothing fictitious about it. It is happening in real time to real people and real organizations. If you or your company use USB flash drives, it could very well happen to you.

Doing Bad Things
The villain in our story is so bad that the word is part of its name: BadUSB. Make no mistake about it, BadUSB is quite literally a USB drive that can do very bad things.

Why talk about something detrimental to one of the industry’s bread-and-butter products. Because, as you will see, there is a viable solution to this problem. USB flash drives are one of the easiest, securest means of storing data, backing up, booting a computer, and transferring data/files/images from one device to another. They are a valuable tool in our everyday lives and commerce, and you should not be afraid to use them.)

BadUSB is a class of malware that is used by hackers globally, who are intent on creating havoc in as many lives as they can. BadUSB allows these people to do some serious firewall breaching to introduce malware into a company’s cyber-defensives through USB storage devices. The first USB malware, BadUSB, does not attack data on the device, instead it attacks the device itself.

When a USB drive is plugged into a computer, the chipset controller of the computer starts a ‘handshake’ with the USB drive controller via firmware. This exchange occurs even before the OS – whether it be Microsoft, macOS, or Linux – is even aware that a USB drive has been connected. (Every USB drive has firmware that runs when the drive is activated in a USB socket.)

These hackers have learned that they can introduce malware through this “handshake” mechanism by replacing the firmware that runs on the USB drive controller by another, more malicious firmware that injects malware into the target computer system as it communicates with the USB drive.

A standard USB drive has no security on its internal firmware. So, while BadUSB drives begin their existence as good USB drives, they are then weaponized to penetrate firewalls and breach cyber defenses.

Unfortunately, today’s anti-malware solutions cannot detect this modified controller firmware, and in many cases, remains undetectable and free to go about its ruinous work.

This, however, is where our story takes a turn for the better. There is a solution and it is our protagonist: hardware-encrypted USB drives.

These types of drives use premium encryption controllers and incorporate many security features. While manufacturers don’t like disclosing their security countermeasures, there is one that does protect against BadUSB.

At the factory, when the firmware is loaded on hardware-encrypted drives, it can be digitally signed and loaded. This means that when these encrypted USBs are plugged in, the encryption controller first checks the integrity of the firmware through the digital signature, and only loads it if it passes. Any attempt to replace the firmware will stop the drive, and it will become non-functional and no threat.

Hardware encrypted USB drives can also have custom Product IDs (PIDs) set up for a specific company. These premium drives can have a digital identifier programmed into them so that, if a drive is plugged into the company’s inner or outer firewall, the drive can be identified as a company-issued drive. For example, if an employee loses the company drive and buys a replacement of the same model at retail, the newly purchased drive will not validate on the company network. This customization adds another layer of security on the use of USB drives.

Yes, hardware-encrypted drives are more expensive than standard USB drives as well as the freebies handed out at trade shows. But, they earn their keep. The reduction and elimination of risks offered by such drives makes the payback cycle extremely short. The peace of mind coming from knowing you are protected from being hacked along with its associated legal and public relations costs is priceless.

Along with the use of hardware-encrypted USB drives, there are several other highly, but rather untechnical, ways companies can prevent a BadUSB hit. One is to simply outlaw the use of USB drives altogether. The other is taking the extreme measure of epoxying the USB sockets on their systems. Needless to say, either measure is a tad draconian and presents problems of its own.

One of the problems that companies who have tried either method have run into is that some of their employees need to carry data with them on USB drives. For example, executives want to take data with them to work on, for meetings, or provide to external legal or financial advisors that are not on a company cloud. Another problem is company contractors, who need data to work on, but have restricted or no access to company databases. Another possible problem is financial analysts that are closing the monthly reports and need to work on spreadsheets at home. All reasons employees might try to circumvent those measures.

So, just as in books and movies, so to in the land of USB flash drives, the good guy comes out on top and the villain is shown the door.

This article originally appeared in the March 2022 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Security Today Announces The Govies Government Security Award Winners for 2025

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 winners in The Govies Government Security Awards. The awards honor outstanding government security products in a variety of categories. Read Now

  • Survey: 60 Percent of Organizations Using AI in IT Infrastructure

    Netwrix, a cybersecurity provider focused on data and identity threats, today announced the release of its annual global 2025 Cybersecurity Trends Report based on a global survey of 2,150 IT and security professionals from 121 countries. It reveals that 60% of organizations are already using artificial intelligence (AI) in their IT infrastructure and 30% are considering implementing AI. Read Now

  • New Research Reveals Global Video Surveillance Industry Perspectives on AI

    Axis Communications, the global industry leader in video surveillance, has released its latest research report, ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance,’ which explores global industry perspectives on the use of AI in the security industry and beyond. The report reveals current attitudes on AI technologies thanks to in-depth interviews with AI experts from Axis’ global network and a comprehensive survey of more than 5,800 respondents, including distributors, channel partners, and end customers across 68 countries. The resulting insights cover AI integration and the opportunities and challenges that exist with regard to security, safety, business intelligence, and operational efficiency. Read Now

  • SIA Urges Tariff Relief for Security Industry Products

    Today, the Security Industry Association has sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting relief from tariffs for security industry products and asking that the Trump administration formulate a process that allows companies to apply for product-specific exemptions. The security industry is an important segment of the U.S. economy, contributing over $430 billion in total economic impact and supporting over 2.1 million jobs. Read Now

  • Report Shows Cybercriminals Continue Pivot to Stealthier Tactics

    IBM recently released the 2025 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting that cybercriminals continued to pivot to stealthier tactics, with lower-profile credential theft spiking, while ransomware attacks on enterprises declined. IBM X-Force observed an 84% increase in emails delivering infostealers in 2024 compared to the prior year, a method threat actors relied heavily on to scale identity attacks. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.