Windows 10: Block USB storage?

Something like this: Download USBLogView - MajorGeeks ?

 

Thanks CountMike! you are full of useful utilities. I'll add this in my collection too. Can it send the log by e-mail? Never mind, you can always connect via TeamViewer to check the log.

 

I'm somewhat of a packrat when it comes to small utilities. Specially like small, specialized programs unlike those ones that do everything but clean windows but I can use only fraction of it's capabilities.

 

But but.... Isn't there a way I could get notified instantly when someone connects a pen drive? *Sad

 

Notified where, by which means, internet, e-mail, cell phone ? You'd have to be in constant contact with your computer you want to monitor. A logistic nightmare in the works.

 

You can just install TeamViewer and check any time from another computer or tablet. TeamViewer's password changes after each reboot, but you can also define a secret permanent password so you can connect anytime you want. Connect, run the utility to see the USB log and you are OK. In extreme cases you can even install a security camera or configure a webcam with surveillance software to see who was sitting on the computer at that time and what he did. There are parental control programs that can tell you exactly when the computer was used, which websites where visited and which applications where opened. It depends what you are trying to do.

As for USB storage, I think the best is your case is to combine the two utilities. The first to block access to pen drives and the second to see if anyone attempted to connect a pen drive and when was that. Also make other users standard so not to be able to alter your restrictions.

 

Any ways, like literally, email, call, SMS, slap across the face. Anything is fine.

I kind of wanted it to be without anyone knowing and without me connecting to TeamViewer all the time, like I have 8 PCs.

Sorry for being such a nuisance.

 

Corrupt the usbstor.sys driver and corrupt the system file recovery. (it will work, but you really shouldn't do that lol)

If these machines are being used by untrusted users as you indicate, since you must block USB storage devices, you should not allow them administrative access to the systems. You should use a combination of group policy and user account/group access restrictions.

You should also lock the bios with a password, and disable booting the laptop in any way other than the installed OS on the hard drive.

 

If the USB log utility can be run via the network for a remote computer, then you would check the log without anyone knowing. You can just connect to your computer via TeamViewer and execute the utility to see USB activity on the others. But I'm afraid it is a local only utility. Any similar utility that can be used for remote computers?

The best is to block access to external USB storage. If anyone attempts to connect a pen drive will fail. Later in the day you can run the USB log utility to see if there was such an attempt and by the time was done you could find out who did it. That's why I told you to combine the two utilities. It makes little difference if you discover it the moment it is done or later, as long as he cannot steal data. You can punish the guilty later. You could also limit the maximum size of attachments in e-mail or forbid them altogether, so they cannot steal data by e-mail either.