Technology specialists have warned against using USB portable storage units as the main way to maintain backup copies of important information, despite their widespread use in transferring data quickly.
Experts explained that there are technical and security risks associated with these units, including the ease of losing or stealing them due to their small size, which puts important data at risk, in addition to being an easy means of transmitting viruses and ransomware when connected to various computers.
The lifespan of these units is limited, as they rely on chips that gradually deteriorate with repeated writes and deletions, and they are also sensitive to changing environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and shocks. Limited storage capacity is an obstacle to saving large, modern files such as high-resolution videos or operating system backups.
In conclusion, experts pointed out that USB flash drives remain suitable for transient uses, such as quickly transferring files or creating installation media for systems, but they are not suitable as a reliable tool for long-term storage.
Instead, experts advised relying on cloud storage, which provides better encryption and reliability, or using external hard disks and solid-state drives (SSDs), which offer larger storage capacities, higher data transfer speeds, and longer lifespan.
