Write Protected USB

Make a write Protected USB Drive

Today USB drive also known as keychain drive is becoming the most popular removable storage device to move data to different locations. USB drives are available in the market with different features, for example password protected, compatible with all windows versions and extra storage capacity (up to 65 GB).


A common security issue at organizations is how to prevent their workers to write data onto USB drives using their PCs, because a user can easily move confidential data for other location.





If you have windows XP with SP2, then you can disable the writing option to USB drives.

Follow the given steps to disable the USB writing option:-
1. To edit the computer registry, first you should log onto your computer with administrative rights.
First click on Start button and type "Regedit" in Run option.





2. Here locate the location to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l

Here in right side panel, click right to create a key with the name "StorageDevicePolicies".

3. Now in left side panel, select "StorageDevicePolicies" key, again right click to create new DWORD value then label it "WriteProtect".

4. Set its value to "1". But again enable this option set its values "0".





5. Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

Source

[Count Dracula]

Keep it up,Vaibhav.Keep contributing and posting sensible things and you will be highly respected.And thankyou,it was very helpful.

Thanks buddy for repling and appretiang my share with u.

Waiting for more comments from senior members as well as Fresh Stock members of this forum...!!!

[redhat]

Hey Vaibhav,
1) Thanks for learning to post the source
2) This info was usefull
3) Your title is wrong, this does not teach write-protecting a USB Drive, it shows how to prevent writing TO a USB Drive

[MetalheadGautham]

yet another mistaken post. You told how to STOP people from writing to a pendrive ON the Computer. This hardly has any advantage, as the employers can't go and lock every single employee's computer only to realise that the employee can set it back.

A better methord will be to make the pendrive use an encrypted filesystem that needs either a password, or some critical system data thats unique to each system, to read/write data on it.

Originally Posted by redhat

Your title is wrong, this does not teach write-protecting a USB Drive, it shows how to prevent writing TO a USB Drive

Mods plz do the this.

Originally Posted by redhat

This info was usefull

Thanks.

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

yet another mistaken post. You told how to STOP people from writing to a pendrive ON the Computer. This hardly has any advantage, as the employers can't go and lock every single employee's computer only to realise that the employee can set it back.

Correctly said this is the only disadvantage of this process.

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

A better methord will be to make the pendrive use an encrypted filesystem that needs either a password, or some critical system data thats unique to each system, to read/write data on it.

Can it be possible using any software or registry trick or anything.
If possible.
Plz make a tutorial.
I need that.

Originally Posted by redhat

Hey Vaibhav,
Thanks for learning to post the source

correctly said

Waiting for some more comments.

[viruss]

you made registry hack. but it will prevent PC from writing on USB...
but is it possible to make USB write protected as floppy?
As there are virus problems coming via USB

[ico]

Originally Posted by vaibhavtek

Mods plz do the this.
Thanks.

You'll have to PM to get it done......aise hi nahi hota

Anyways, Topgear had also posted a tutorial similar to this discovered on his own:

Disable Access to USB Mass Storage Drive

[MetalheadGautham]

if you need to prevent access, try NTFS Encrypted partition. I am not sure how it works, but apparently only the OS install that creates this partition has ability to access this partition. Even a reinstall will make the drive unreadable.

[ico]

Originally Posted by viruss

you made registry hack. but it will prevent PC from writing on USB...
but is it possible to make USB write protected as floppy?
As there are virus problems coming via USB

Dude he has hasn't made this registry trick.

Anyways, there are pen drives which cannot be accessed until we enter a password. If you get those then it will be well and good. And also when you insert a pendrive, don't open it through the dialog box. I mean to say cancel that dialog box. Then have a scan. Open the drive after the scan.

---------------

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

if you need to prevent access, try NTFS Encrypted partition. I am not sure how it works, but apparently only the OS install that creates this partition has ability to access this partition. Even a reinstall will make the drive unreadable.

NTFS is not good for Flash drives as it is a journaling file system. It will wear out the flash chip and decrease its life. FAT and FAT32 are the best for them.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by gagandeep

Dude he has hasn't made this registry trick.

Anyways, there are pen drives which cannot be accessed until we enter a password. If you get those then it will be well and good. And also when you insert a pendrive, don't open it through the dialog box. I mean to say cancel that dialog box. Then have a scan. Open the drive after the scan.

---------------

NTFS is not good for Flash drives as it is a journaling file system. It will wear out the flash chip and decrease its life. FAT and FAT32 are the best for them.

if you think FAT or FAT32 is the only solution for you, you must be from the '80s. Try the follosing pro setup if you need max security:

1. YAFFS2 file system as base

the world's best flash file system, and increases the life span of your pen drive a lot

2. eCryptFS file system running overhead

a cryptographic file system that can encrypt data on the fly while adding files.
this baby can offer maximum levels of reliable security for your data

[nvidia]

OMG!! Vaibav has put the source!!!!

[ico]

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

if you think FAT or FAT32 is the only solution for you, you must be from the '80s. Try the follosing pro setup if you need max security:

1. YAFFS2 file system as base

the world's best flash file system, and increases the life span of your pen drive a lot

2. eCryptFS file system running overhead

a cryptographic file system that can encrypt data on the fly while adding files.
this baby can offer maximum levels of reliable security for your data

Who says that I think that FAT & FAT32 are the only solutions..... I had meant if he wants full accessibility wherever he goes....

If he has to take his pen drive to his office, then he'll have to install 3rd party utilities for accessing his YAFFS2 file system.

I've just opposed you because you said him to use NTFS. NTFS is a journaling file system. So, it is going to write very frequently to the pen drive and thus will wear out flash.

Originally Posted by nvidia

OMG!! Vaibav has put the source!!!!

Nividia stop pulling my leg.

U are in my messenger list as friend then why are u always against me in this forum...!!

Anyways did u like this tutorial....???

Originally Posted by viruss

you made registry hack. but it will prevent PC from writing on USB...
but is it possible to make USB write protected as floppy?
As there are virus problems coming via USB

A floppy disk can be maked write-protected when the plastic tab at the top has been moved to reveal a "hole" in the disk.

But it can be still access if user do move the hole opposite.

I think is not possible using Registry Hack.

But still wait for VG > Vishal Gupta > Vis(hal Gup)ta > Mr. Regisrty
^^
He is very good in registry.

P.S. No one use floopy disk these day all use either a CD or USB drive..

[Gigacore]

good. i think he always wants to leave out something funny in his posts. the pink title is

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by vaibhavtek

Can it be possible using any software or registry trick or anything.
If possible.
Plz make a tutorial.
I need that.

Truecrypt is the answer to all your needs!

[PraKs]

@infra_red_dude

Can anyone please post how to do in Truecrypt ?

I have USB & want people just to read the data.. Dont have hardware lock switch.. Please share..

[nvidia]

@Vaibav: I have just one doubt... Why have you used the "" thread icon instead of "" icon?

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by PraKs

@infra_red_dude

Can anyone please post how to do in Truecrypt ?

I have USB & want people just to read the data.. Dont have hardware lock switch.. Please share..

Not enuf time to post the whole thing first hand but I'm sure these will help:

1) Guide on official site: http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=tutorial
2) Guide for use on Linux: http://www.howtoforge.com/truecrypt_data_encryption
3) Another good step by step guide: http://www.juand.ca/how-to-secure-your-usb-thumbdrive/

[nvidia]

Originally Posted by vaibhavtek

Nividia stop pulling my leg.
U are in my messenger list as friend then why are u always against me in this forum...!!

There is no such thing that if someone is there in your messenger list, then they have to be your friend. Btw, it was you who added me into your messenger list not me.

Btw, stop posting the same lines in other threads where I've posted something against you

[pushkaraj]

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

1. YAFFS2 file system as base

the world's best flash file system, and increases the life span of your pen drive a lot

Check this out:

In practice, flash file systems are only used for "Memory Technology Devices" ("MTD"), which are embedded flash memories that do not have a controller. Removable flash memory cards and USB flash drives have built-in controllers to perform wear-levelling and error correction so use of a specific flash file system does not add any benefit.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory

I dont know how true this is....

Originally Posted by Gigacore

good. i think he always wants to leave out something funny in his posts. the pink title is

thanks.
edited

Originally Posted by nvidia

@Vaibav: I have just one doubt... Why have you used the "" thread icon instead of "" icon?

stop plz.

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

misleading topic name

i was happy that i could write protect my usb flash driver ! that's what it means

i mean no body can write into my USB Drive From any computer in the world when lock is on ! got it ?? when lock is open people can write

this can help viruses to stop entering from my pen drive !!

btw thanks for the tutorial .. i knew it ! now just a revision !!

[ico]

^^^ I guess this doesn't make the Flash Drive write protected......
It just restricts the computer and makes it unable to write to USB drives....... Drives can be written from other computers.......

Vaibhavtek, get your title changed to: Blocking write access to USB drive

This kind of Tutorial (but different) was already posted by Topgear sometime ago..... Here: Disable Access to USB Mass Storage Drive

Originally Posted by gagandeep

^^^ I guess this doesn't make the Flash Drive write protected......
It just restricts the computer and makes it unable to write to USB drives....... Drives can be written from other computers.......

Vaibhavtek, get your title changed to: Blocking write access to USB drive

This kind of Tutorial (but different) was already posted by Topgear sometime ago..... Here: Disable Access to USB Mass Storage Drive

Mods plz change the title as suggested by gagandeep.

I searched the forum but was not able to got tutorial similar to it.

[ico]

^^ Arrey yaar......
Also EDIT your 1st post.......

Originally Posted by vaibhavtek

I searched the forum but was not able to got tutorial similar to it.

How is this possible vaibhavtek??????

http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/show...d=1#post728165

You had yourself thanked him in the above post.....

This means that you never go through any Tutorial and blindly post "Thanx a lot"

[adi007]

^^rofl...rofl..nice detective work gagandeep...
and vaibhavtek please post the thread after searching the forum..and BTW you have replied to that old thread and you are saying that you searched the whole forum..

either you are just replying "Thanx a lot" to every tut thread to increase your post count or you are just creating a new tut from the old thread to increase your post count..

In either way you just want to increase the post count..that's all..

Now i must say that post count doesn't make one famous and respectable in the forum..i have seen some members who joined at 2005 and still in their 200-300 posts...it is important to note that they will check the forum daily..so please don't post to just increase your post count..i know it's tempting to increase one's post count but doing such things is not good....

[ico]

^^ I keep on reminding him that Quantity never beats Quality........

[kalpik]

@all: Please report the thread if you think its inappropriate. Do not resort to personal attacks.

@vaibhavtek: Relax dude. Don't be in a hurry to post everything you come across! Just sit back for a while and surf this forum. You will gradually get to know how things work here

Locking this thread. Please continue discussion here: Disable Access to USB Mass Storage Drive