How to disable usb storage port on Linux?

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Contributed by: Sanket Gandhi

Category: Desktop

Distribution: All

License: Linux Forums Article License

Posted: 29 January, 2011

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Linux Disable USB Devices (Disable loading of USB Storage Driver) The USB storage drive automatically detects USB flash or hard drives. You can easily force and disable USB storage devices under any Linux distribution. The modprobe program used for automatic kernel module loading and can be configured to not load the USB storage driver upon demand. This will prevent the modprobe program from loading the usb-storage module, but will not prevent root (or another program) from using the insmod program to load the module manually.

Type the following command:

# echo install usb-storage : >> /etc/modprobe.conf

You can also remove USB Storage driver, enter:

# ls /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/usb/storage/usb-storage.ko

# mv /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/usb/storage/usb-storage.ko /root

BIOS option

You can also disable USB from system BIOS configuration option. Make sure BIOS is password protected.

Grub option

You can get rid of all USB devices by disabling kernel support for USB via GRUB. Open grub.conf or menu.lst (Under Debian / Ubuntu Linux)
and append nousb to the kernel line as follows:

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-128.1.1.el5 ro root=LABEL=/ console=tty0
console=ttyS1,19200n8 nousb Save and close the file. Once done just
reboot the system:

# reboot

Comments about this article

doubt

writen by: divyan on 2011-02-02 00:30:54

how to set it in the previous state

RE: doubt written by divyan:

good idea but..!!

writen by: kareempharmacist on 2012-06-18 10:23:57

the idea is good but it needs more simplification and explanation to be suitable for the newbie
more explanation for the function of each command and every part of the command should be there
explanation of the tools needed to edit grub.conf or menu.list suited for each distro should be there
the file contents before and after editing should be displayed..

RE: good idea but..!! written by kareempharmacist:

Comment title: * please do not put your response text here