The CEO of a company wants to prevent users from copying confidential data to removable media devices. The best protection is to ___________________.

The best approach to preventing users from copying confidential data to removable media devices is to set the principle of least privilege. This principle involves granting users the minimum level of access necessary to perform their jobs. By applying this principle, the organization can restrict user permissions that allow access to sensitive information and the use of removable media devices.

When users have limited access rights, they cannot easily copy or transfer confidential data, reducing the risk of data leakage. This method is proactive in controlling user actions and ensures that only authorized personnel with a legitimate need can access and copy sensitive information.

While other options like encrypting data can protect the data itself and implementing a strong password policy enhances security, they do not directly address the specific need to restrict the copying of data to removable media. Antivirus software is essential for protecting against malware but does not prevent users from actively copying data. Thus, setting the principle of least privilege is the most effective and appropriate measure in this scenario.