Keep your personal electronic devices out of government ports Published July 10, 2012 By Amanda Loveless CSC Applied Technologies Information Assurance VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- I'm looking at the universal-serial-bus-(USB)-device-violations report that is always waiting bright and early Monday morning. There are two events identified that stand out from all the others. At 7:27 a.m. and 8:14 a.m., someone on base connected an iPod to a government computer. The second event was that same day at 1:26 p.m. Someone else connected an Android phone to a computer. Tsk, tsk. The average consumer has no appreciation for the fact their tiny MP3 player is an extraordinary technological achievement. They also don't understand the myriad ways in which such a device may be used to cause harm. Every information assurance officer, supervisor and fellow computer user must keep hammering away with the message that personal devices are not to be connected to a government system because they are an unacceptable security risk. Personal devices are inevitably connected to one or more personal and public computers, which may or may not be properly maintained. These computers are connected to a commercial network, also known as the Internet. It may seem odd to think of it this way, but the Internet is rife with pollution, criminals, and disease. If the Internet were a town, there would be raw sewage flowing in the street -- think 17th century London. If you have doubts about there being threats on the Internet, email Amazon or Facebook and ask them how much money they spend to protect their networks from the perils of the Internet. Even then, there is no 100 percent guarantee of security. By comparison, how protected do you think your personal computer is at home? Would you be willing to connect a device you found on a park bench to your computer? To avoid contaminating your personal computer - or a government computer system -- treat your consumer electronics like you would your toothbrush - don't share with just anybody.