Disk erase needed after USB flash drive has been connected?

Hello. I apologize beforehand if this is a stupid question. Unfortunately, it looks like I'm going to have to return my new iMac because of a faulty screen. I have held off transferring files to see if the screen would be problem-free, but at one point I did connect a USB flash drive to my iMac. I copied just one file onto my desktop. My question is: when the flash drive is connected and files show up in the Finder window, does that mean there is now a lasting imprint of those files on my hard disk, even if I haven't actually copied them onto the desktop? I ask this because the flash drive has some sensitive data on it, and I'm debating whether or not to do a 7-pass erase before returning my iMac. Any response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

slowboat wrote:
My question is: when the flash drive is connected and files show up in the Finder window, does that mean there is now a lasting imprint of those files on my hard disk, even if I haven't actually copied them onto the desktop
If you mean the Finder window showing the contents of the flash drive, no, there's nothing retained on your Mac from that collection of files once you dismount the flash drive.

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