[...] 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: 2) by richtopia on Sunday May 13 2018, @04:08AM
I've seen different factories with different levels of acceptance for USB, from "No devices on premise, including phones" to no security at all.
To prevent illegal access, in the factory the tools are on an internal intranet which the owners need to jump through hoops in order to access (something like two VPN connections to get to the secure network). Then all of the USB ports on any computer are locked out with a physical plug. It is not perfect, but the threat of getting escorted off-site if you violate the rules helps too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-PC-Laptop-Secure-Port-A-Type-Blocker-10-Pack-007682/192065989467?hash=item2cb8066b5b:g:3-wAAOSwDkVaQmU9 [ebay.com]