USB Removable Media Security Application

[Guest]

[Kent Locke]

I would like to see a program that automatically "locks" removable media (flash drive, external hard drive etc.) as it is plugged into the PC. The biggest problem with USB removable media is that when plugged in any viruses that may be on the drive automatically transfer themselves onto the host computer before real-time antivirus protection can catch them.  A solution would be to develop software that automatically freezes data transfer to and from the removable media so that a virus scan can be safely run.

 

[ausman007]

The 'On Access" component of the Comodo Anti-Virus scanner (or any modern anti-virus program) would scan any files accessed on the USB key (either due to the user's actions or another program, malicious or otherwise) so this should achieve the safety you are after.

Just FYI -  "On demand" scanners conversely only scan files when the user requests a scan to take place.

Hope this helps.

- Aus

[Kent Locke]

Thanks for your reply. I do realise that the real-time protection may help to prevent malware activating on removable storage devices, but unfortunately  the detection often occurs as the malware exectues and it may be too late to prevent damage caused. This has been my personal experience in the past (using Norton AV).

[ausman007]

Fair call.  If the anti-malware software product writers can't stop the malware before it does it's damage then yes the software should trigger on the usb key being detected by the operating system - or at least give you the option to "Scan for viruses/malware" as part of the the normal action options. 

Mind you they would also need to do this for external hard drives too!

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