Disable USB Autorun

This post was written by admin on July 13, 2009
Posted Under: Autorun, Free PC Security, Technology

Many users will be aware that the easiest way to infect a computer is by inserting USB flash drives, other external USB devices, CD/DVD's and memory cards which are infected with malware.

I have previously covered how to remove the Autorun.Inf Worm, but this small tool will vaccinate your computer and stop the Autorun feature without having to edit the Registry, which for many users is a somewhat daunting task.

The autorun feature can be disabled via editing the Registry, but this small program makes it much simpler.

Simply download and install and the program will automatically open.

Users then have the option to vaccinate their PC which will stop any program from any USB/CD/DVD drive from executing.

The second option is to vaccinate attached USB devices which will disable the autorun completely.

Users can then safely right click the drive in My Computer and scan for viruses and malware before opening any folders, which keeps your PC safe from malware infection.

By default, Windows Operating System allows all inserted devices to autorun, therefore aiding the spread of malware simply by attaching an infected USB device which contains a malicious executable which loads silently as soon as the device is plugged in.

Panda USB Vaccine stops this action and allows users to insert USB devices safely, and if it has not been previously vaccinated a popup appears giving the option to vaccinate it and disable the autorun feature.

This is certainly one of the easiest and less intrusive methods to disable Autorun on Windows Systems.

There are command line scripts in the help file which will be of use to more advanced users.

This is a free utility and works on Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2008 and Windows7

Download Panda USB Vaccine here

If you already have an infected device, hold down the 'Shift' key when inserting the device to stop the Autorun, then read the related article below. You can then download and run the Autorun.Inf removal tool. Other options are to right click the device through 'My Computer' and scan with antivirus and antimalware programs.

Related article:
Autorun.Inf Worm Removal