Flash drives are small but can contain large amounts of sensitive / personal information. They are very easily lost or stolen along with the data they contain.

USB flash drives can be used to infect a computer with malware, in some cases bypassing antivirus and other security solutions.

To mitigate these risks, some companies prohibit the use of USB memory devices or even disable USB ports. Staff awareness is a key factor. If sensitive information must be stored on a USB drive the data should be properly encrypted.