Disable USB Autorun to Save PC from USB Viruses

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Saad Hamid on March 18, 2008

I know how hard it is to keep a PC safe from viruses and trojans as nearly every USB stick carries some undetectable and auto-multiplying virus. Especially in university, where I have to constantly exchange USB sticks, it becomes hard to keep my USB stick safe and clean.

Mostly the viruses that multiply through USB sticks use the autorun function of USB as it does not require any user confirmation and runs secretly in the background, unlike a CD or DVD.

The best way to keep USB viruses from injecting themselves to your PC or laptop is to Disable the USB Autorun feature and I will teach you how to do it.

Click the Start button, then Run and enter "gpedit.msc" without the quotes
Go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System
Scroll down to "Turn off Autoplay" and double click on it
Click on the "Enabled" radio button, then for "Turn off Autoplay on" select "All drives"

This will now prevent any virus from auto executing itself through a USB drive. Additionaly, it is recommeneded to keep a good free anti virus solution too for additional security e.g. http://www.free-av.com

Cold Fire

Nice permanent way!

or just keep holding Shift when u insert a USB disk? it cancels the autorun
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http://blog.nftecnostar.com Nicholas Francis

I found this post to be useful, so I linked it in my blog

http://blog.nftecnostar.com/nf-tecnostars-starred-links-2/
Jignesh

Hey Good found thankx
http://www.mbsee.info/iBlog MBC

Thank you very much. I alwasy fear to put my USB stick on university computers but now I can do it safely without fear.
http://www.whoismadhur.com Madhur Kapoor

In hostels, it is very important the disable Autorun as the main culprit of virus infection is the autorun.inf file.
http://blog.ashfame.com Ashfame

Hey DJ
gpedit.msc is not available in WinXP home edition. So I wrote about how to disable it from registry.
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Pingback: Disable USB Autorun to Save PC from USB Viruses
http://www.sizlopedia.com Dj Flush

Thanks for that AshFame. Probably someone on WinXP Home Edition can make use of it.
http://techmalaya.com Syahid A.

Just what many of us needs to do. Cool tip indeed.
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John

How do I do it if step no.1 does not work, I click the start button, clicked on run and typed gpedit.msc and the computer said that there was no file, is there an alternate way to turn it off?
http://www.sizlopedia.com Dj Flush

@John

I assume you are Windows XP Home. Please use this guide to get the hack working.

http://blog.ashfame.com/2008/03/disable-usb-autorun-save-pc-usb-viruses/
Sumit

Thanx yaar. I really needed it as I use it in university pcs and in cafes too.
Zeeshan Shakeel

it really is worth disabling USB autorun, thanks a lot
nononono

no, it’s not working!
this method only prevents launching the virus when the usb storage is inserted. thats it.

but when you double-click on drive letter of usb flash, autorun.inf then runs, and the virus is launched.

yammy

don't double click the USB icon, right click and select EXPLORE
remove the autorun.inf file from the USB drive:
run COMMAND
use DOS command to navigate to the usb drive,
type attrib -R -H -S *.*
delete autorun.inf file and any suspiscous exe file(s) and scr file(s)

Anoony

A friend suggested me to remove the autorun.inf completely, will it help?
http://www.rsadiq.piczo.com REnthals

heya thank u very very mch coz i have new USB and it is with too much male wares wich are continuosly auto multiplying them self hope ke this trick will work…!thanks again..!
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Ron Flowerday

Provide solution to disable autorun for windows XP (PRO) with SP3

XP SP2 fix refers to
“Under Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, and then click System”

System does not exist in SP3
Faisal

nice!

thats what i was looking for
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http://michaelfebrianto.multiply.com/ Michael

thanx a lot… it so helpful
Uncle Mart

There is a difference between Autorun and Autoplay. This will explain how to turn off Autorun http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/04/22/stop-windows-from-executing-instructions-found-in-autoruninf/
http://www.whatsthelatest.net zplits

Hey, thanks for this great info. Lots of people will benefit from this, most especially now a days, when malwares are surprisingly so easy to propagate.
http://antoniusaryo.wordpress.com aryo

thank you for your sharing…
it works…
Scud

If System template is missing, right click on “Administrative templates”, select “Add/Remove templates…”, then click on Add, choose System.adm, click on Open, then close. Now you’ll see System under Administrative templates.
feline

create autorun.inf folder on your usb drive, so the virus wont be able to replace it with a autorun.inf file
Dihan

Thank you. Anyone can tell me how to open a USB device without running autorun.inf?
enolaicepz

i can't open gpedit.msc in our computer it say's
“You do not have permission to perform this operation”
“Access is denied”
enolaicepz

i can't open gpedit.msc in our computer it say's
“You do not have permission to perform this operation”
“Access is denied”
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Interesting post. I have made a twitter post about this. Others no doubt will like it like I did.
http://www.raheel334.webs.com/ raheel khan

this is a good article
bz

thanks dude! very helpful.. ^__^V
bz

thanks dude! very helpful.. ^__^V
cam777

Why microsoft created Autorun?
Is it useful?
abdulhameeddaudpota

Thanks for share this important point.
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Hi, thanks so much for this quick guide. Really useful.
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Hi, thanks so much for this quick guide. Really useful.
panlesio

gpedit.msc can not be find in my PC, why?
is there any other way to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System
Fred Holmes

I don't find the tree specified above in Win XP. Nor do I find the particular setting by just hunting around for it in the gpedit.msc (Group Policy) dialog.

Fred Holmes
Fowra

very good.
http://www.security-wire.com/ Remove Spyware

Great sharing! I'm always annoyed with USB autorun virus!!!

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Browsing on Google for something else closely connected, regardless before i ramble on too much i would just like to state how much I cherished your post, I've added your web blog and also obtained your Feed, Again thank you very much for the article carry on the good work.

Nospam

You should state which operating system this applies to. I have XP-Pro and there is no section called Turn Off Autoplay under Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System
Sumith Harshan

good & crear tip.thanks
Kristof_kristof

thanks for the hint

grtzz
Anonymous

Computer viruses can spread from USB Drive.
Anonymous

Thanks for your article! It’s very helpful for me!
http://www.facebook.com/Mohanad.Alzare Mohanad Alzare

nice , but there is another way using registry and more secure
Anonymous

This is a good method!
Anonymous

Oh ! thank you for telling me this information!
Максим Баранник

To stop USB virus- 1 unmount HDD, 2 turn on view of hidden files, 3 mount usb drive and check it. How to do it? Top secret! http://safe-comp.net/