Likely Normal

USB drives are innocent-looking, wildly convenient, and potentially the Trojan horse of the tech world. One second you’re happily plugging in what you think is your coworker’s presentation, and the next your computer starts speaking in binary while your files pack their bags for a surprise vacation in hacker-land. It’s like accepting a mysterious sandwich from a stranger on the subway: could be fine, could be spicy with malware.

We’ve all heard the horror stories—those “free gift” USB drives that turn out to be anything but, unleashing digital mayhem faster than you can say, “Wait, why is my wallpaper now a ransom note?” Suddenly, that “borrowed” flash drive from the parking lot feels less like a handy tool and more like a ticking time bomb wrapped in “I swear it’s just cat photos!” energy. And let’s be real, if your computer starts acting sluggish after you plug one in, it’s not just aging—it’s probably hosting an unauthorized cyber rave in your hard drive.

At this point, treating every USB drive like it’s coated in digital anthrax isn’t paranoia—it’s common sense. Sure, wearing a hazmat suit to plug one in might seem extreme, but is it really when the alternative is explaining to your boss why the company spreadsheet is now encrypted with a demand for Bitcoin? Maybe the cloud is the way to go—or, better yet, just yell your files across the office. Old-school? Yes. Safe? Absolutely.