Battle Royale Alpha for Rec Room on PlayStation VR starts today

Rec Room is the social game you want in VR

There are very view games out there that offer the huge variety of content that Rec Room from Against Gravity offers and there are certainly none of them that offer it for free. That and the amazing community that has grown up around the game makes Rec Room a must have for any VR owner.

So what is Rec Room?

Put simply Rec Room is a First Person social game set in a make-believe Rec Room — you know the kind, a huge building with small areas for playing cards and ping pong and a massive outside area to play team sports — the type of places you used to go when you were a little one after school until your parents got back from work. It is filled with little things to do in the main social hub like darts, basketball, table tennis and even some couches for chilling out on and catching up with friends.

And boy is it easy to make friends in the Rec Room. Because everyone has proximity chat enabled you can start a conversation or ask if people want to team up for one of the many games and quests available. Just a handshake in the game will add the person to your friend’s list and a fist bump will set you as a party, it is the least game-breaking way I have seen to make friends. It’s so good.

Like Roblox and Minecraft, graphically, the game itself is fairly simple. It isn’t going to be winning any art awards any time soon, but it doesn’t need to. What makes the game so fun is the interaction between you and all the other visitors to the Rec Room and the games you can play there.

What can I do there?

you can do a lot and right now those things are separated into three categories, soon to be four, so let’s tackle them one by one.

Rec Royale

Rec Royale is the latest addition to Rec Room following on the heels of the insane adoption of Fortnite. It is going to feature a wilderness map for up to 16 players to battle it out for supremacy using the latest arsenal of.. Paintball guns — it’s a family friendly game people, we try not to let people be killed in Recreation Centers if we can avoid it — and with the addition of a backpack to load your gear in you are good to go.

Sean Whiting, Against gravity’s community designer, and a huge presence in the Rec Room Community is practically giddy over this new addition. he had this to say about the new loot system:

The landscape holds summer camps, mountains, forests, outposts, ravines, lakes, and tons of loot for scavenging. To hold all of that loot we’ve added a new backpack system for quick swapping and storing multiple weapons and power-ups.

The backpack is a welcome addition to Rec Room as before you could only hold one or two things maximum, it should make Rec Royale much more entertaining, and a little more tactical. Rec Royale will be available as an open beta the weekend of May 25th including Friday and will come in full to all platforms on June 7th. this section is still sparse right now but we will update this post when we know more.

Team Sports

The Backbone of Rec Room is the team sports you can play inside the Main Hall. By passing through any number of doors you are taken to a variety of crazy simple, yet endlessly entertaining games to play — Paintball is a firm favorite of mine but I get a lot of enjoyment from the kickball, it’s like Rocket League but with people — and there are always people willing to team up to play. Another neat matchmaking trick, the game puts you into balanced teams as you walk into the game, and as there is no skill progression you have as good a chance as anyone else to win the game.

The Paintball game is a prime example of what makes Rec Room so fun. You step through a door in the Rec Room and you have whisked away to the outside area with old containers as buildings and hay bales as shield walls when there are enough players, the game starts and your capture the flag game is afoot! the aim is simple, steal the flag and get it to the goal line and if you get shot, well you respawn at the start and try again. It’s extremely fun and light-hearted combated made all the more fun by the proximity chat and all the people laughing at you losing the flag two feet from the goal!

Quests

Quests are the adventuring side of Rec Room — instead of just playing a team sport you get to team up and seek out adventure — with four quests to choose from there is plenty to keep you going. Using just you and three others you have to take on trolls and goblins or killer robots or even scary pirates! all set to the Recreation Center feel the whole game has. Go behind some of the scenery in the quests and you will see they are just cardboard on wooden frames, probably made by the naughty kids who don’t want to play with others.

My favorite quest is The Quest For The Golden Trophy — yes I know not all the words need to be capitalized but it’s quest so it deserves some pomp — in it you play an archer or a classic sword and board fighter and your job is to work together to grab the chalice and be claimed, victor! Beware though, many a clockwork goblin on wheels is seeking to wipe you out and they will succeed, often. Another charming way the game makes it all feel very friendly is how your team revive each other. Simple High Five your friend’s ghost and poof, back alive to fight again.

The game just oozes fun times and happiness, a refreshing change from the doom and gloom of a lot of games these days. The quests are generally very tough and require teamwork and skill to survive, making them one of the very best VR experiences I have had to date, including Skyrim and another AAA title.

Custom/Private Rooms

Private and Customs rooms are the secret delight of Rec Room. In private rooms, you can use all the features above — except the Rec Royale, they haven’t figured that out yet — but in a closed environment that you control. You control who can come and play in your room as well what kind of things you want in it. In each private room, there is a sandbox machine that lets you pull out furniture, weapons, games, and other miscellaneous items to help make the room your own.

With the use of the sandbox and the closed nature of the private rooms you can create a space for you and friends to meet and have fun without the need to interact with strangers, making it an anxiety-free way to meet your friends in VR, Of course if you want to show off your skill at creating games and spaces you can always make a custom room.

Custom rooms are the crowning achievement of the customization abilities of Rec Room. You can, with a little effort make impressive areas for you and anyone else who knows your room name to play in — they even have circuits that allow you build complex systems to bring a unique feel to every room — and then show them off to the world. I spent a little time making the Mobile Nations fans a custom room called ^MoNaClub that you can access from inside the game, making it with a podcasting area for Russell and Rene along with a Dungeons and Dragons cave hiding in the back. It’s not finished yet but is still a great space for fans to meet up, and I will keep making it better as I learn more about the game.

More: Check out some the best Custom Rooms

So should I get it?

If you are into VR at all then you should give Rec Room a try. With the new Rec Royale mode coming soon and all the other ways to enjoy the game, it seems like a no-brainer to pick it up, especially as it is completely free. When I say free I do mean completely free, no purchase cost, no loot boxes, no hidden fees, just enjoyment from minute one. Try it I think you’ll like it.

Store 128GB of important data with SanDisk’s $26 Ultra Fit USB Flash Drive

Transport documents quickly and keep your files secure with this USB flash drive.

SanDisk’s 128GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 Flash Drive is down to $25.99 at Amazon while supplies last. This limited time deal saves you $5 off its average price and marks the lowest it’s ever dropped. It regularly sells for up to $38.

This high-speed USB 3.1 flash drive features read speeds up to 130MB/s. You could transfer a full-length movie to it in less than 30 seconds. It’s compatible with laptops, car stereos, game consoles, and more.

Over 200 customers at Amazon reviewed this flash drive with 4.2 out of 5 stars collectively.

See at Amazon

Apple Commemorates Memorial Day With ‘Remembrance Table’ at Apple Park

This Monday, May 28 is Memorial Day in the United States, which commemorates individuals who died while serving in the armed forces. In an effort to honor the day, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared an image on Twitter this morning, explaining one way that the company will remember those we’ve lost in active military duty.

This week at Apple Park, a Remembrance Table honors the men and women of our armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. They will never be forgotten. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/dobmWcLZcN

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 25, 2018

In Apple’s latest campus, Apple Park, employees have set up what Cook describes as a “Remembrance Table,” which he says “honors the men and women of our armed forces.” The Remembrance Table has been set up in Caffè Macs at Apple Park, sitting among tables where Apple employees gather to eat their lunch and other meals.

For the federal holiday on Monday, Apple typically gives many of its corporate employees the day off, but some of its retail locations will remain open across the country. On Monday you’ll be able to use Apple’s Find a Store web tool to see if locations near you are open for the day.

Tags: Tim Cook, Memorial Day
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Apple Begins Selling Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 Models With LTE

Apple this week added refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 models with LTE to its online store for the first time in the United States.

A selection of 10 cellular-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 models have been made available for sale over the past two days, but as of writing, only one model remains in stock. More inventory should be added over time, so we recommend using the website Refurb Tracker if you are interested in a particular model.

The refurbished models are priced between $359 and $549, reflecting savings of 15 to 16 percent off the price of brand new models.

A cellular-enabled 42mm Apple Watch Series 3 with a silver aluminum case and fog-colored sport band is listed for $359, for example, which is $70 off the $429 price of an equivalent brand new model.

Apple Watch Series 3 models were first released in September 2017, but only non-cellular GPS models were available refurbished until now. Series 3 models feature a faster dual-core S3 processor, and an Apple-designed W2 chip that makes Wi-Fi up to 85 percent faster and up to 50 percent more power efficient.

Apple says all refurbished Apple Watch models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new box and all manuals and accessories, including a magnetic charging puck and a power adapter. In our view, Apple’s refurbished products are generally indistinguishable from brand new ones.

Any refurbished Apple Watch comes with Apple’s standard one-year warranty effective on the date the device is delivered. The warranty can be extended to up to two years from the original purchase date with AppleCare+ for Apple Watch, which covers accidental damage for a fee, at a cost of $49 in the United States.

Apple also began selling refurbished iMac Pro models earlier this week.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4Tag: refurbishedBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Apple Discounts BeatsX, Powerbeats3, Solo3, and Studio3 Headphones in Limited Sale

Apple today launched the latest sale on Beats by Dre products, including markdowns on the BeatsX, Powerbeats3, Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, and Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones. Make sure you still shop around as other retailers are offering even better prices for some models and colors, which we’ve compared below.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the Solo3, the wireless headphones are now $239.95, down from $299.95 on Apple.com. Colors from both the Neighborhood Collection and basic launch shades are all available for the discount.

Comparatively, Best Buy has the the Solo3 headphones as low as $197.99 in Silver, and Walmart similarly offers select colors like Gold for $197.00.

Apple is also offering the high-end Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones at a discount for $279.95, down from $349.95. While this is better than Best Buy’s $309.99 sale price and matches B&H Photo’s, Walmart beats all with a current price of $227.95 for the White, Red, Blue, and Matte Black colorways.

Next, Apple has the BeatsX Earphones for $119.95 in all colors, beaten by Best Buy with sale prices as low as $89.99 in Gray, White, and Blue. If you’re willing to go the refurbished route, Best Buy also has the BeatsX for just $64.99 in a variety of colors.

Lastly, the Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones are marked down to $159.95 in Apple’s sale, savings of $40 from the original price of $199.95. Best Buy again provides one of the lowest prices online, with the Powerbeats3 hitting $109.99 in Siren Red, Flash Blue, and Shock Yellow. Apple does beat Best Buy by $20 in some colors in the Neighborhood Collection, however.

Apple has offered these discounts a few times throughout the year, and the reduced prices are often only available for a short time. If you’re looking for more information on discounts, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple DealsTag: Beats by Dre
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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Atlas Executive Athletic Holdall From WaterField Designs

For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with WaterField Designs to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win the company’s Atlas Executive Athletic Holdall, a bag that’s ideal for everything from work to travel to the gym.

Priced at $429, the 22-liter Atlas Holdall is true to its name and can hold all of your gear and then some. In the main briefcase compartment, it features a padded laptop pocket that’s able to hold up to a 15-inch MacBook Pro, plus there’s a padded tablet pocket that will fit an iPad as big as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

There are also two deep pockets that are designed to hold cables, cords, and other small accessories, while a document compartment holds notebooks, files, folders, and more. A zippered pocket at the front is able to hold keys, cards, wallet, your phone, and more for quick access, and there’s a leather-wrapped handle for grip plus a removable suspension strap.

A separate workout compartment can hold workout clothes, a water bottle, a towel, and other workout gear. It can also hold extra clothes such as a change of clothes for work, and there’s a collapsible shoe pocket for your gym shoes.

The Atlas Holdall is available in a black ballistic nylon or a brown waxed canvas material. While the black ballistic will hide wear and tear, the waxed canvas embraces it and will take on a unique look over time. Both colors are water resistant and feature leather accents and waterproof zippers.

We have one Atlas Executive Athletic Holdall to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (May 25) at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 1. The winner will be chosen randomly on June 1 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Tag: giveaway
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Apple Says More Than 400 Vehicle Models Now Support CarPlay With Latest Being 2019 Subaru WRX

Apple today confirmed that over 400 vehicle models now support its CarPlay software platform in the United States.

While not reflected on Apple’s list of available models yet, the latest vehicle with CarPlay is Subaru’s new 2019 WRX, introduced on Thursday and available at dealerships across the United States this summer. Previous model years of the WRX did not have CarPlay, making this a new addition.

CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on all 2019 WRX models, accessible through Subaru’s new Starlink infotainment system. The base trim, priced from $27,195, is equipped with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while Premium and Limited trims have seven-inch touchscreens from $29,495 and $31,795 respectively.

Subaru’s infotainment system also features Aha Radio, Pandora, hands-free phone calls and audio streaming via Bluetooth, AM/FM, a single-disc CD player, SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility, and a rear-view camera. Blind spot detection with lane change assist technology is available in higher trims.

Subaru’s other vehicle models with CarPlay in the United States:

• 2017-2018 Impreza
• 2018 Outback
• 2018 Crosstrek
• 2019 Ascent
• 2019 Forester

CarPlay mirrors several iPhone functions onto a vehicle’s dashboard display, enabling drivers to get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, listen to music, and more while staying focused on the road. The platform can be controlled via touchscreen, Siri voice commands, or steering wheel buttons.

Surveys suggest CarPlay is a highly desired feature with strong customer satisfaction. Most automakers currently support wired CarPlay, meaning the iPhone must be connected with a Lightning cable, but wireless CarPlay is available in select BMW models or via aftermarket receivers from Alpine and Pioneer.

With the recent additions of Toyota, Lexus, and Mazda, nearly every major automaker in the United States offers or will soon offer CarPlay.

Related Roundup: CarPlayTag: Subaru
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Twitter Testing Easy-to-Access Data Saver Toggle on iOS

Twitter is testing a new “Data saver” toggle on iOS devices, as one user shared on the social media platform this morning. For users in the test, the data saver setting is housed at the very bottom of the left-handed profile menu, which you can access by swiping left-to-right on your main Twitter timeline in the iOS app.

When toggled on, the mode prevents videos from autoplaying when scrolling through tweets, and lower-quality images load instead of automatically choosing high-quality images. The toggle affects all accounts linked within the iOS app on an iPhone or iPad, helping to reduce data usage on cellular connections and in turn preventing you from going over the allotted monthly data cap on your phone bill.

Data saver test (left) vs current Twitter app for iOS (right)

@Twitter Data Saver mode coming to iOS @MacRumors @iDownloadBlog @verge pic.twitter.com/tHAPNyySfQ

— Ravi Lakra (@iamRaviLakra) May 25, 2018

Tweets about the toggle span multiple countries since earlier in the spring, so it appears Twitter has been testing the dedicated mode for a few weeks now.

Twitter’s iOS app currently lets you toggle off video autoplay and high-quality videos, or set them to load only on Wi-Fi, but the settings are stored in “Settings and privacy” > “Data usage.” It appears that the social media company is testing out a way for data saver functionality to be more at-hand and quicker to access with one toggle on the app’s frontend menu.

Twitter users also have the option of using Twitter Lite on iOS, Android, and other smartphones. Lite loads Twitter on the mobile web, outside of a dedicated app, and provides all of the main features of Twitter while reducing data usage and speeding up load times.

Some of the big social media apps offer similar data reduction settings in their iOS apps. In Facebook’s “Videos and Photos” settings on the iPhone app, you can set videos to “Never Autoplay” and reduce the upload quality of photos and videos as well. Instagram has a “Use Less Data” toggle found within the gear icon on your user profile.

The mode has also extended to music streaming apps like Spotify, and on-demand video apps like Netflix. Streaming TV services are also beginning to allow users to download their favorite shows and movies to watch offline and avoid using their data to binge shows while traveling. Platforms that support this feature include Netflix, Showtime, Amazon, Starz, Epix, and soon Hulu.

For now, Twitter’s data saver toggle is just a test, so it’s unclear when or if the feature will launch for all users.

(Thanks, Ravi!)

Tag: Twitter
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Avoid the latest Android malware scare by remembering this one thing

Antivirus company Avast has discovered hundreds of Android-based devices — mostly tablets — have malware hidden deep inside the firmware, spreading annoying ads and potentially leading the unwary to download compromised apps. The list of manufacturers affected includes ZTE, a company facing its own problems at the moment, along with Archos and many others. Don’t throw your Android device away, though — it’s highly unlikely you’re personally affected by this, and if you’re not, there’s a very easy way to avoid it in the future too.

On the infected hardware, Avast identified adware called Cosiloon, which is downloaded and installed by what’s called a “dropper,” a special program encoded in the device’s firmware. Cosiloon links itself to advertising networks provided by Google, Facebook, and Chinese technology company Baidu, then shows pop-up ads, banners, and other annoying interruptions over the top of the Android operating system. These ads are often for potentially compromised apps.

Nasty, right? No one wants extra ads, least of all ones that are difficult to remove without the use of an antivirus program. Additionally, it’s more bad press for ZTE, a company that has sold phones and tablets all over the world for years. Avast says it identified devices infected with the malware in Europe and the U.S., suggesting the problem is widespread. Plus, while it serves ads now, the dropper could be used to install far worse in the future, including spyware.

Don’t panic

While it’s reasonable to be concerned about malware and security issues on any device we own, and for Avast to track these incidents, you probably don’t have to worry this time. Avast points out that the majority of devices it tracked didn’t come with Google Play installed, and were not Google certified. Also, while many are listed, the bar for inclusion was set at “more than 10 unique users in the last month.” It also tracked another 800 devices that had fewer than 10 unique users.

While ZTE features several times on the list, the devices are old and often regional variants. Almost all other affected devices are made under contract by companies most will not know, and based on the low bar of acceptance onto Avast’s list, may not have sold in great numbers either. If you haven’t bought an incredibly cheap Android product without Google Play Services installed over the past few years, you can go about your day worry-free.

How about avoiding the problem in the future? The solution is to buy a Google-certified product (which will have Google Play Protect in place to keep you safe) from a recognized manufacturer. Google lists its certified partners here. No, it’s not a guarantee — Archos is a Google-certified partner, for example — but the chance of encountering Cosiloon or any other preinstalled adware is far, far lower.

If you do own one of the devices Avast lists, or have seen activity that makes you suspect the presence of Cosiloon on your Android tablet or phone, then Avast provides information on how to remove it and the dropper that installed it in the first place. It’s also working with providers and domain registrars to get the problematic servers closed down permanently.

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IBM banned USB drives. Is it the future of security or a knee-jerk reaction?

Pixabay

Despite the wide use of cloud services like Dropbox, sometimes a handy old USB drive is the quickest way to get large amounts of data from one computer to another. But imagine if one day you went to work and found out that all USB drives had been banned from the premises? That’s what happened over at IBM recently.

A recent leaked memo indicated that IBM would be banning all employees from using USB drives. That kind of reaction might be understandable given the current state of cybersecurity, but is that really the most effective strategy?

A quick fix for a huge problem

“That’s the easiest way to cover your rear end: Make an announcement that you’re banning everything to show that you’ve put a policy in place,” Kingston’s strategic product marketing manager, Ruben Lugo, told Digital Trends. In actuality, he said, these kinds of policies can hinder a company far more than they helps it.

“People will just start using their own Dropbox, their own Google Drive, and then you start circumventing your own firewall.”

“Companies aren’t looking to apply the right resources from the beginning,” he said. “It’s always ‘what’s the quick fix? Do I need to do anything really?’ And usually that revolves around banning things […] We’ve found that that actually hinders productivity and efficiency that the mobile workforce needs while they’re out there in the field.”

The past few years have seen some of the biggest data thefts and breaches ever, leaving hundreds of millions of individuals vulnerable to identity theft, exploitation, and even political manipulation. That’s led to many companies and individuals taking privacy and data security online more seriously and even brought politicians to the table to discuss how it can be improved. But not all practices to do so are necessarily recommended. Banning USB drives is just one example of such a practice.

An advertisement for the USB Rubber Ducky, a tool used in carrying out a USB drop attack.

Banning USB drives may seem like an easy way to stop leaks. It makes data theft much more difficult when the people working with the data can’t physically remove it from where it’s stored. But some would argue that such a policy merely opens up companies like IBM to new avenues of attack and doesn’t get to the root of the problem: the vulnerability of unsecured data.

That sentiment is echoed by Malwarebytes’ VP of Products and Research, Pedro Bustamante, who told us that “disconnecting systems from having access to the internet would also be highly effective. It’s just not practical in most cases. With the evolution of technology and internet speeds, USB drives represent a relatively small risk at this point. The frustration to end-users (or your employees) isn’t likely to be worth the small improvement to your security posture.”

Ruben Lugo, strategic product marketing manager for Kingston. Kingston

The reason for IBM’s ban on removable storage was said to be to reduce instances of leaks and data loss, whether that’s deliberate leaking of information or through misplaced hardware. We reached out to IBM for comment on the ban, but haven’t received a response.

Either way, Kingston’s Lugo believes that banning external drives won’t stop people from getting data out of the company if they want or need to.

“Where there’s a will there’s a way,” he said. “People will just start using their own Dropbox, their own Google Drive and then you start circumventing your own firewall, your own protection and it’s really just creating another issue.”

Controlling the media

In Lugo’s mind, it would be far better for IBM and companies like it to control physical media and the data they contain, rather than try to ban the devices outright. He recommends the use of drives like Kingston’s own Ironkey devices, which combine physical protections like metal casings and epoxy coatings for the drive’s circuit board, with hardware-driven encryption that makes the digital data completely unreadable to prying eyes.

“When that user plugs in another random USB drive, the endpoints security will look at it and recognize it’s not an issued drive.”

The Ironkey is at the extreme end of the products that Kingston offers, but whatever the brand or make of the device, as long as it leverages hardware-driven encryption, it should prevent unintentional data loss almost entirely. It doesn’t matter if an employee misplaces a drive with sensitive data on it, because even if someone were to find it and try to access that information, without the correct passcode they would find the data completely unreadable.

Kingston also has other measures in place to prevent that data from being accessed, such as a maximum number of password entries to prevent brute-force hacking and remote wipe capabilities – something that could prevent against some deliberate leaks from disgruntled or ex-employees.

Kingston

“We have management software and what that allows is for the geo-locating of drives, the ability to audit the drives to see what’s on there, enforce complex passwords,” Lugo said. “If someone were to leave the company or was fired or disgruntled, there is an ability to send a message to the drive to render it useless and wipe the drive clean.”

Controlling the end point

The physical media itself though, is only one part of protecting a company’s data. Something that a number of securities companies, including the likes of Symantec, MalwareBytes, and McAfee, have been developing in recent years, is endpoint protection.

“The best security polices combine people, processes and technology; one does not exist without the other two.”

Endpoint protection is the practice of securing a network at the point of connection by a device. While typically that might be when a new laptop or smartphone is connected to a system, it can also be applied to physical drives like USB devices. That’s something Kingston believes companies like IBM could use to prevent some of the data theft that it’s looking to thwart with its outright ban.

“[Endpoint protection] allows the administration, IT, whoever is involved with cyber security, to recognize who does need access to USB ports, who needs access to X, Y, Z data,” Lugo said. “Then they can actually build a user profile, a user group to then allow only just one specific USB drive, be it a Kingston drive or other, so that when that user plugs in another random USB drive, the endpoints security will look at it and recognize it’s not an issued drive. Thus not letting the user transport any data back and forth onto that drive.”

By controlling the physical media itself and the point of contact it has with the internal network, a business has far greater control over the data that flows in and out of its protected systems than it does by, ostensibly at least, prohibiting the use of all physical media.

Part of the new General Data Protection Regulation legislation that was recently enacted involves companies having real accountability of data, controlling who has access to it, and how it is stored. Having a policy of no physical media makes it impossible for IBM to be truly accountable were someone to flout such a policy and get around any internal safeguards it has against it.

The combination of an encrypted drive and strong endpoint security would allow for powerful auditing of physical devices, preventing the use of unauthorized physical media, and protecting  data that is removed from a network by making it unreadable to all but validated parties.

GDPR and beyond

Now that the GDPR has been implemented and is fully enforceable with any entities doing business with EU customers, more companies than ever need to pay attention to the way that they handle digital information. Outright bans on USB devices might offer some measure of protection against some of the harsher fines and arbitration systems in place, but as Lugo points out, they don’t give companies the control they need to truly protect their data and that of their employees and users.

As for IBM, Lugo is hoping that Kingston can turn it around on its recent policy changes and is already in the process of trying to do so.

“IBM is an amazing company,” he said “[But] some of our sales team is [in contact with it] at the moment, so we’ll see how that goes.”

Raising awareness of the alternatives to IBM’s ban is important among its employees too. As MalwareBytes’ Bustamante highlighted to us, the best way to secure a network is with a combination strategy that brings together people, hardware, and software, to comprehensively lock down important data and the networks it’s stored on.

“Businesses need to ensure they have the right internal processes in place to deal with a breach and ensure that staff are given regular security training – after all your employees are your first line of defense so equip them with the knowledge to be able to spot a dodgy email or attachment,” it said. “The best security polices combine people, processes and technology; one does not exist without the other two.”

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