A tool to block remote access to a user’s local USB drive over a network to protect its contents.

Pros: The USB Drive Blocking Software is software that allows a user to monitor access to a local USB drive as well as block (as needed) access to the drive. It monitors the drive continuously and will record all usage related to the drive (including files being copied, accessed or deleted) with information as to which IP address was accessing the drive and when. A log stores all the information and is available for viewing when needed. Access to a particular drive can also be blocked (or allowed according to user permissions, such as read-only access, or execute access). Access permissions and settings can be set from the user interface per drive and for each computer on the LAN.

Cons: As with any software of this kind, the basic assumption is that the USB drive needs the advanced protection features that come with the software package. Some basic security (access, sharing) is available through Windows itself. Most users don’t need any additional or finer grained security. In any case, due to problems with the interface (it is not the easiest to use) the finer grained security controls are not going to be usable for most users. Sound alerts on USB drive connection / disconnection is overkill as this is already provided by the operating system.

Overall: 4 stars. It works, but such advanced security of a local USB drive is rarely required. Plus, the advanced features of the software are difficult to use, which discourages one from fiddling with those settings.