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[...] The possibility of "financial and reputational" damage if staff lost or misused the devices prompted the decision, reported The Register.
Instead, IBM staff who need to move data around will be encouraged to do so via an internal network.
[...] Some IBM departments had been banned from using removable portable media for some time, said Ms Naidoo, but now the decree was being implemented worldwide. IBM staff are expected to stop using removable devices by the end of May.
[...] Security expert Kevin Beaumont said: "It is a brave move by IBM, as USB devices do present a real risk - often it is very easy to extract data from a company via these devices, and introduce malicious software."
[...] Sumir Karayi, chief executive of security company 1E, said IBM's ban was an "overreaction" by security staff who had not realised the many different ways data flowed in and out of an organisation.
[...] On 25 May, the GDPR rules are enacted, which impose heavy fines on organisations that do not do enough to protect sensitive information.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MostCynical on Saturday May 12 2018, @11:13PM (10 children)
does this apply to the CEO's board presentations?
How long before a CxO over-rides this, because the off-site presentation room had issues (didn't have a way of getting the VPN over wifi, or whatever) or things just "went wrong" five minutes before the presentation?
Also, since when do the new european privacy rules apply to corporate information?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 12 2018, @11:42PM (1 child)
I work at a bank. Same deal.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Monday May 14 2018, @06:09AM
Ditto, nothing new except it is now a non-bank and big blue doing it.
Our Data leakage policy is quite draconian and its enforcement is pretty dystopian. Folks get fired for copy-and-paste data from documents and sending it to their private email accounts, the tech to catch data leak is improving every day.
They can't yet easily catch folks printing documents and stuffing it in their undies to take out yet or snapping docs with their private cell phones, but I'm guessing that tech isn't far away to close some of these gaps.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 13 2018, @12:25AM (4 children)
You don't get to be a C-level executive without a thorough understanding of when it is appropriate to use a USB key. Ordinary employees do not have the necessary leadership skills to make these decisions.
(Score: 3, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday May 13 2018, @12:40AM (2 children)
I think there's cyber smart and there's business smart. Somebody can be a genius at business but not know computer. Or someone can be a genius at computer but not know much about business -- or really, much about anything.
Let me tell you, we live in the age of computer. You see so many things, they were never cyber, now they're cyber. Even to get an airline ticket, so much of that is computer now. One guy, the computer didn't like his name, it made him give a fake name. And it became a HUGE hassle for him!
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Sunday May 13 2018, @12:58AM (1 child)
You didn't even mention how Barron is an expert with the cyber.
D-. Try harder.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday May 13 2018, @02:32AM
He's 12 years old, he's an incredible little guy. He can do anything with a computer. He's taught me a thing or two.....OK, to be honest, one thing. And I think he could teach our cyber hackers a thing or two. Look out Iran!!!
(Score: 2) by edIII on Sunday May 13 2018, @03:33AM
Spoken like a truly clueless PHB, then placing his drink in his PC's cupholder :)
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 3, Funny) by looorg on Sunday May 13 2018, @01:06AM (2 children)
Like the CEO of IBM would carry her own USB stick. I'm sure she has some senior executive assistant to do that for here, or if they ban USB-sticks now I guess he has to carry a stack of old blue floppy disks (time to load the PP onto the machine will take between 3-4 hours of floppy swapping).
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 14 2018, @08:01AM (1 child)
The normal usb driver stuff is blocked but MTP works fine. Plug phone to PC, copy updates to PC, transfer updates from PC to server. Install.
I think they know in theory it's a loophole but in practice that's how they keep the "security auditors" happy while still managing to get stuff done before 2020 (including installing security updates that the "security auditors" insist on).
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday May 15 2018, @03:42AM
I've worked for orgs with policies for instant-dismissal-for-connecting-smart-phone-to-work-computer.
Buying a charger for work and finding a spare power point was easier (and cheaper!) than buying usb charge-only cables.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex