In the News
Did your flash drive store your files before it was unplugged? In Microsoft confirms you really, really don’t need to ‘safely remove’ USB flash drives anymore, Sean Hollister at The Verge discusses Microsoft’s recent announcement that individuals using Windows 10 version 1809 no longer need to use the ‘safely remove’ option when unplugging a USB drive. Hollister elaborates that users have been able to use the ‘quick removal’ feature to unplug USB drives securely since last October with an official public announcement only occurring recently.
Our Take
USB flash drives have been the preferred form of external file storage for years. Although many of us have grown accustomed to having to ‘safely remove’ the USB drive for it to successfully save your latest file, the ability for Windows 10 users to unplug their drive easier is beneficial. By using the ‘quick removal’ option, your files will save to the drive with less effort on the user which is always a good thing. In a society where so much of our lives are online, this simpler was to save files external to your devices should act as an incentive to store less on your primary device/accounts and more external where there is a decreased chance of data exposure. Although Microsoft only stated the availability of this feature recently, it has been available for a while, so it is always beneficial to check your software updates for what new features they include.
Recommendations
How can you protect the security and privacy of your information and data?
- Utilize additional security/privacy measures and settings on apps, accounts, and platforms whenever possible
- Save copies of important conservations on an external hard drive or other storage method
- Utilize secure and trustworthy platforms for data storage and uploading purposes
- Always make sure that you are running the most updated edition of an app or software
- Utilize encryption if possible when storing important files