Deny read access from removable usb drives

Question

Hey!

I'm looking for a way to deny read access on removable usb drives, but to keep write access.

I've tried the policy under Administrative templates -> System -> Removable storage access -> Removable disks: Deny read access. But if I enable that, it disables the entire usb drive.

Answer 1

Hello

Denying read access but keeping write access on removable USB drives can be a bit tricky. The policy you tried, “Removable disks: Deny read access”, under Administrative templates -> System -> Removable storage access, indeed disables the entire USB drive when enabled.

Unfortunately, Windows doesn’t provide a straightforward way to deny read access while keeping write access on removable USB drives. The built-in Group Policy settings and file system permissions typically control read and write access together.

You might need to use third-party software to achieve this specific requirement. There are several security software solutions available that can provide more granular control over USB ports and connected devices.