Ransomware

[Glenn]

Is this why Google don't allow sd slots on their phones? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27703318

[Steve]

It may be in someways Glenn as the lack of an SD card allows for a single uniformed file system i.e. you get a properly journaled file system with the correct permissions. No FAT file system slowing data transfer down and subject to more errors especially when connected to a host computer.

[Technical Ben]

Um, so why can this ransomware not do the same to the in built memory prey tell?

I'd have my slow memory card anyday over a faffing about with cables/accounts/downloads. Yes, I use cloud storage. But wifi/internet drops out (or is unavailable on trips). Cards I can keep in the pocket, and easily swap out with the laptop/phone/tablet.

[nowster]

Actually even phones without a physical SD card slot have an "emulated" one, which is just another partition on the internal flash.

The problem with SD cards of greater capacity is that for compatibility you have to use exFAT on them, which means paying extra royalties to Microsoft. Internal flash can use any Linux file system, usually ext4 or latterly f2fs.

[Steve]

Surely there is a security issue an SD card has no user permissions set , so it's a bit like someone with no user privileges being allowed to access every file on a PC.

I wouldn't expand the memory or storage on my computer by adding an SD card either.

[Technical Ben]

Surely there is a security issue an SD card has no user permissions set , so it's a bit like someone with no user privileges being allowed to access every file on a PC.

I wouldn't expand the memory or storage on my computer by adding an SD card either.

That is what I want for a SD card. I want it free to use, like a book. I don't want keys locking my books, photos and videos closed.
Anything with security can be put on the cloud, because we know that's secure... right?

You can partition and you can control an SD cart to other file formats. That they don't, is not my worry.

I cannot remember the last time I got a virus from my camera to my printer because the memory card was not "secure". Yet how easy is it to break the wifi of a device (printer say) which is on 24 7 broadcasting to the world and has old firmware?

I'd expand a PC with a HDD, and do, often. As a phone won't fit one, an SD card is where it's at. I'd also swap out my HDD should it fail. But less so on a tab/phone.