Stop USB thiefs from stealing data in XP

[Relating to Windows operating systems]

If you don't want someone using a USB device to copy, acquire or steal any programs or data from the computer(s) you administer, then add this on each computer:

[Create a new registry key and give it a Dword value]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[I don't know why my HKEY line is being split to two lines, sorry.]

(you are creating the key "StorageDevicePolicies") with a DWORD Name of "WriteProtect" and give it a Value Data of "1".
Exit the registry, insert a USB thumb drive and try to copy to it.

[Additional info]
When set to "1", all USB removable drives are write-protected. When set to "0" (or when the DWORD entry is removed entirely), USB drives can once again be written to. This is a machine-level setting and not a user-level setting.

As always, make a registry backup prior to editing the registry.

ZT3000
Beta tester of "0"s and "1's"

pretty good app.

http://www.safend.com/Dev2Go.web?Anchor=idune&rnd=21792

Thanks again Jebo.

I visited the site but found no mention of price. Anytime I find software/hardware without pricing posted on website, I know it's too expensive for me. :eek:

ZT3000
Beta tester of "0"s and "1's"

USB storage devices are a hot topic these days. lots of guys worried about possibility of 500 gigs of data being carried off site in someone's pocket witout anyone knowing a thing about it. thats a lot of data.

but it's hard to justify disabling USB ports on the machines in the work place. lots of ppl use USB devices for work. so it's an issue.

the app is an enterprise app. i like the auditor. i am sure there are other vendors have similar products.

Jebo,

A simple .reg file named "Enable USB" and an opposite .reg file named "Disable USB" can be created (with a pretty little icon :p ) and used to make the USB changes painless.
This is not a permanent solution for enterprises AND it doesn't effect moving data FROM the USB. Try it.

By the way, do you know the price of the auditor?

(I'd sure like to see that pocket size USB device carrying 500GB, maybe 5 years from now. -smirk-)

ZT3000
Beta tester of "0"s and "1's"

The following microsoft article describes how to disable USB storage. Make a reg file and use it with your login script or other deployment mechanisms if you have many systems to address.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;823732

-Joseph