After basically banning internet usage from the offices of all public sectors, the government is taking online security one step further (and maybe a tad bit over) by only allowing authorized USB storage devices to be plugged in.
In other words, you can’t just grab any old USB thumb drive use it on your computer if you’re working in the government sector, TODAY reports. The ban will be put in place on Jul 25.
According to the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), it’ll be distributing authorized storage devices to public officers on a “working need” basis. Public servants speaking to TODAY noted that some divisions within ministries will only get a single USB device each to be shared among staff.
“Globally, USB storage devices continue to be a means to introduce malware and exfiltrate data, especially when they have the potential to be easily misplaced,” said a GovTech spokesperson to TODAY.
This measure is simply the latest move made in response to expanding cyber threats, to ensure government networks and data remain secure. Already, public servants can no longer access the internet from their work computers — they have to use common computers and devices to go online.
Anyway, banning random USB sticks are par for the course for government agencies in other countries. As far back as 2014, Canadian federal departments considered banning USB keys after some devices that contained protected information were misplaced. In 2008, a USB drive loaded with malware compromised the United States defense network in a major breach.
