SPYUSB: Securing USB Drives Against Malware Injection and Data Exfiltration

Authors- D.K. Naresh, Dr.S.Nagasundaram

Abstract-Portable storage devices such as USB drives, external hard drives, and memory cards are widely used for data transfer and storage due to their convenience and portability. However, these devices are highly vulnerable to covert data theft, particularly through malware injection attacks that can silently exfiltrate sensitive information while evading traditional security mechanisms. Existing solutions typically focus on either malware detection or data backup in isolation, lacking a comprehensive defense strategy. This paper presents spyUSB, an integrated security framework that combines Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) for detecting malware activity, Cloud Conceal for secure data backup and recovery, and Data Masking through Tokenization to protect sensitive content on USB drives. The DNN component identifies malicious behaviour by analysing system-level indicators such as API calls, byte sequences, and log metadata. Upon detection of an attack, sensitive data is automatically encrypted and backed up via Cloud Conceal. Concurrently, tokenization techniques mask data on USB devices, ensuring confidentiality even in case of unauthorized access. The proposed system enhances data security and integrity, providing a holistic defense against stealthy data exfiltration attacks.

DOI: /10.61463/ijset.vol.13.issue3.126