What risks are associated with removable media?

Removable media, such as USB flash drives or external hard drives, pose several risks, with the most significant being the potential for loss or theft. When individuals use removable media to store sensitive or confidential information, these devices could easily be misplaced or taken by someone else, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data. If this data falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for malicious purposes, including identity theft or corporate espionage.

When considering the other options, while speed and data reliability are important factors, they do not directly relate to the risks posed by removable media in the context of security. The possibility of outdated software on removable media can be a concern, but it doesn't inherently present the same immediate access risk that physical loss or theft does. Thus, the focus on loss or theft underlines the primary threat associated with removable media.