Write protecting USB drive

stevesmithx · 01-15-2009, 09:15 AM

Recently when I used my usb drive on another computer the files on my usb drive got infected by worms.
Is there any way to make an usb drive inherently write-protected like floppy disks with any software so that worms won't be able to infect it.
I searched for this but all solutions depend on tinkering with target computer(infected PC) registry. Utilities like thumbscrew also seem to give a similar solution.
Is there some kind of utility which would make the usb drive write-protected at my PC and does not involve tinkering with target computer's registry.
Does anyone know of any such utility or is it even possible to do this?
I heard some usb drives have write-protection toggle like those in floppy disks but mine doesn't have this.

vart · 01-15-2009, 01:30 PM

probably easier will be to find a USB-drive with lock-slider preventing write access on the hardware level

stevesmithx · 01-16-2009, 01:46 AM

Yeah but as i said earlier mine doen't have lock-slider to toggle write-protection.

abachler · 01-16-2009, 02:28 AM

Without a switchm, any solution will be software based, which means tinkering with every computer that uses it, and of course the worms are free to ignore the software protection.

So the answer is NO, buy one with a switch.

stevesmithx · 01-16-2009, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Without a switchm, any solution will be software based, which means tinkering with every computer that uses it, and of course the worms are free to ignore the software protection.

So the answer is NO, buy one with a switch.

Actually I searched and found certain unfamiliar for-a-fee software which claimed to do this perfectly. But I didn't want to end up buying some crap which is either fake or a virus itself!
Anyway as you say the better solution would be to use a hardware lock,i guess.

matsp · 01-16-2009, 08:41 AM

The only way you can actually achieve this without hardware support would be to use a (filter-)driver that declines writes to that particular device. It can certainly be done, but it's not entirely trivial.

--
Mats

stevesmithx · 01-17-2009, 10:28 AM

Thanks Mats.

brewbuck · 01-17-2009, 03:54 PM

Damn USB thumb drives are like heroin needles. People pass them around like crazy. And because most people's systems are configured for autorun when a thumb drive is plugged in, viruses and other things can spread too easily.

EVERY thumb drive should have a hardware write protect switch. I can't believe some don't.

cyberfish · 01-17-2009, 04:37 PM

IMHO autorun is inherently wrong. At least pop up a menu like Vista does (IIRC?). Plugging in a thumb drive = giving consent to executing arbitrary code is just wrong.

01-15-2009, 09:15 AM	#1
stevesmithx and the hat of copycat Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 417	Write protecting USB drive Recently when I used my usb drive on another computer the files on my usb drive got infected by worms. Is there any way to make an usb drive inherently write-protected like floppy disks with any software so that worms won't be able to infect it. I searched for this but all solutions depend on tinkering with target computer(infected PC) registry. Utilities like thumbscrew also seem to give a similar solution. Is there some kind of utility which would make the usb drive write-protected at my PC and does not involve tinkering with target computer's registry. Does anyone know of any such utility or is it even possible to do this? I heard some usb drives have write-protection toggle like those in floppy disks but mine doesn't have this. __________________ Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted - Albert Einstein. No programming language is perfect. There is not even a single best language; there are only languages well suited or perhaps poorly suited for particular purposes. - Herbert Mayer Last edited by stevesmithx; 01-15-2009 at 09:19 AM.
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01-15-2009, 01:30 PM	#2
vart CSharpener Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 5,328	probably easier will be to find a USB-drive with lock-slider preventing write access on the hardware level __________________ If I have eight hours for cutting wood, I spend six sharpening my axe.
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01-16-2009, 01:46 AM	#3
stevesmithx and the hat of copycat Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 417	Yeah but as i said earlier mine doen't have lock-slider to toggle write-protection. __________________ Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted - Albert Einstein. No programming language is perfect. There is not even a single best language; there are only languages well suited or perhaps poorly suited for particular purposes. - Herbert Mayer
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01-16-2009, 02:28 AM	#4
abachler Malum in se Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3,188	Without a switchm, any solution will be software based, which means tinkering with every computer that uses it, and of course the worms are free to ignore the software protection. So the answer is NO, buy one with a switch. __________________ Until you can build a working general purpose reprogrammable computer out of basic components from radio shack, you are not fit to call yourself a programmer in my presence. This is cwhizard, signing off.
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01-16-2009, 08:41 AM	#6
matsp Kernel hacker Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Farncombe, Surrey, England Posts: 15,686	The only way you can actually achieve this without hardware support would be to use a (filter-)driver that declines writes to that particular device. It can certainly be done, but it's not entirely trivial. -- Mats __________________ Compilers can produce warnings - make the compiler programmers happy: Use them! Please don't PM me for help - and no, I don't do help over instant messengers.
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01-17-2009, 10:28 AM	#7
stevesmithx and the hat of copycat Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 417	Thanks Mats. __________________ Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted - Albert Einstein. No programming language is perfect. There is not even a single best language; there are only languages well suited or perhaps poorly suited for particular purposes. - Herbert Mayer
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01-17-2009, 03:54 PM	#8
brewbuck Senior software engineer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 5,768	Damn USB thumb drives are like heroin needles. People pass them around like crazy. And because most people's systems are configured for autorun when a thumb drive is plugged in, viruses and other things can spread too easily. EVERY thumb drive should have a hardware write protect switch. I can't believe some don't. __________________ "Congratulations on your purchase. To begin using your quantum computer, set the power switch to both off and on simultaneously." -- raftpeople@slashdot
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01-17-2009, 04:37 PM	#9
cyberfish Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,009	IMHO autorun is inherently wrong. At least pop up a menu like Vista does (IIRC?). Plugging in a thumb drive = giving consent to executing arbitrary code is just wrong.
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