Prohibiting Write Access to USB devices

Sometimes, you may need to prohibit access to external storage devices such as, disallowing anyone
attaching a USB device to your computer to copy data out of your computer. The following steps
demonstration how to disable write access to USB flash memory devices.

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1. Ensure you have a USB flash memory device connected to your computer.
2. In the Start search text box type gpedit.msc and press enter – this opens the Local Group Policy
   Editor.
3. Expand Computer Configuration/Administrative templates/System and click Removable Storage
   Access.
4. Double click Removable Disks: Deny Write Access
5. Select Enabled as shown below:

NOTE: To require that users write data to BitLocker-protected storage enable the policy
setting “Deny write access to drives not protected by BitLocker” located in “Computer
Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive
Encryption\Removable Data Drives.”

Check that you can no longer write to the USB flash memory device – you might have to remove the
device and reinsert it to see it in the computer console.

To remove the above settings and make the USB writable again:

1. In the Local Group Policy editor, double click Removable Disks: Deny Write Access
2. Select Not Configured
3. Click OK

Check that you can now write to the USB flash memory device.