Hi guys,
Do you have any simple solution to write-protect a flash drive?
I know the best method is hardware-lock like this:



But its very hard to find these days.
Well basically I want to save files into my flash drive and set it so that no changes is made to it.
Rampant autorun.inf and shortcut.ink viruses are running around my school and my student's computer, so its basically difficult to transfer important files and notes without getting infected.

If tried using DISKPART, but it only works to write-protect the flash drive on the same PC I executed the command.

SOLUTION


This post has been edited by funnyTONE: Apr 7 2014, 10:46 PM

Thanks.
That's a good idea which I might consider.
But a lot of my students uses flash drives for their assignment.
I don't think all of them can afford to buy another SD card and reader.
Even with the hardware-lock on SD card, there must be a software-side that tells the computer that the SD card is write protected.



I plugged in my portable broadband modem and it shows CDFS format.
Is this possible to do on a normal flash drive?

Quick readup tells me that CDFS is similar to optical storage, a format that most often used for CD-Roms and audio CDs.
If that's the case, I suspect one way to approach is via image and 'burn' to the flash drive. My gut tells me its going to require a long process and may need linux and several other third party apps.

What I meant about software side is that, when SD cards physically set to WRITE-PROTECT, how does the system reads the switch and translate it as READ-ONLY. What instruction is used when write-protect the SD card so that I may try to emulate the same process via code (software)?

Like the old floppy disk, we can simply tape over the wrote-protect tab on the disk and the floppy drive will read it as read-only. But with flash drives, only the usb stick is inserted to the port, not the whole portion. Which leads to my curiosity to how the system read write-protect mode on flash drives that has these physical switch on them.

I'm also curious to why there is lesser flash drives with write-protect switch on them these days. It makes flash-drive unreliable despite its reducing cost.

I'm going to try a certain program tomorrow and try to create a CDFS partition in my flash drive.
In the meantime, I'd appreciate if anyone else could give an input on the matter.
Any suggestions are welcomed.

But does it prevent my flash drive from being written?
My main objective is to create a flash drive as a read-only so that whatever files are in it stays intact, and at the same time prevent virus from hitching a ride in my flash drive.
You're suggesting somewhere along the line of protecting files via encrypt/decrypt and using a third party program.
Kinda beat the purpose of portability when I need to install the program whenever I need to use the flash drive on a different computer.

To answer your question, no I haven't worked in a secure environment before. In my school, everything is haven for viruses and trojans. Its always been common sense as my best anti-virus, except when it involves my student's work.
And yes, that's exactly what I aim to achieve; a way that only let my flash drive to show files as read-only. Making a CD isn't feasible because it'll mean a lot of CD's and DVD's to use after a while. For now, my simplest goal is probably trying to fool the system to think my flash drive works as a CD drive, just like your example of broadband modem.

I'll definitely check out your suggestions though, since you've eventually understood my intention...I'm really happy.
That windows 8 method looks too easy, but it might work.

As for the search, I've actually searched a lot from google and other forums, but didn't really produce anything concrete, hence why I tried lyn too. Sometimes, the solution is rather simple, but I might end up going to furthest route going about it.

Anyway, I truly appreciate your feedback. Gives me a lot of ways to try this week.

Finally I've found a SOLUTION!
Well, its not exactly what I was looking for, but its a great alternative to achieve a secure flash drive in any system without needing a third party program install.

Basically, I just need to edit the registry. So a prerequisite to this method is to have admin access before I can proceed.



Its rather powerful and risky method that write protect ALL external drives once activated. I need to be sure to disable the registry key after I'm done, or otherwise the system can't write or edit files in any external drives.

I've tested this one Windows 8, and I'm pretty sure it'll work for previous Windows version since this method been around for years.

Lets just hope this method will better help to reduce the risk of USB viruses.

Found another alternative.
This time using Group Policy editor in Windows.

- Windows Run dialog box
- type "Gpedit.msc"
-Browse to this



This setting allows external drives to be write-protected on the fly, so long you know how to disable the functions again via the same method.
Requires admin account.