Detecting a USB drive infection before viewing its contents

[vrushank]

Nowadays, most of the viruses/worms spread via USB drives. So, now if your USB drive is infected and if you double-click it to open it... BOOM the virus enters your drive. Unless your AntiVirus is updated till date, you don't have any means to identify whether there exists an infection in your USB drive. Even if your AntiVirus IS updated, chances are that the virus/worm is a new one and your AntiVirus doesn't have any record of it. So how do you decide whether your USB drive's infected or not without relying on your AntiVirus?? Read on...

1. Download/create/extract an icon (*.ico) file. One nice site for getting cool icons is :

www.iconspedia.com

2. Open notepad and write the following code in it :

[autorun]
icon=XXX.ico

where, "XXX" is your icon file's name.

3. Save it as "autorun.inf"

4. Copy the icon (from step 1) and the autorun file (from step 2) in your USB drive (assuming it is not infected).

5. Set their attributes to ReadOnly and Hidden so that you don't accidentally delete them.

6. Disconnect and reconnect your USB and check whether the icon appears or not. If it doesn't, the icon names in the code and of the file probably don't match or you haven't saved the code as a ".inf" file.

Now, when your USB gets infected, the icon will disappear (or will be changed). This is because for the virus/worm to spread itself into the hard drive, it has to create an "autorun.inf" file. This file modifies the existing one.. thus preventing the icon and telling you about the infection. So, now instead of double-clicking to open the drive, open it by View --> Explorer bar --> Folders option in the menu after scanning it. Also make sure to put the original autorun file back in the drive.

Most of you must be knowing this trick though....

[hellnoire]

I just use the Panda Immunize. You can only delete it under Linux, so it's safe. Also, if I'm really worried about infections (I'm really not btw), I run it under Linux so I won't be infected.

[cybercop]

hi linux guru
what does mean----"I run it under Linux so I won't be infected.'

don't viruses affect linux??

[LunarWolf]

No. windows virus cannot infect linux. That is the beauty of it...

[hellnoire]

Windows and Linux are two completely different operating systems. So Linux does not get infected with Windows viruses. As for what do I mean, I mean I open it up, look at my system files and make sure that it's not infected.

[ha14]

Your trick is nice but what happens when the virus spread directly as soon as plugging the usb key in pc.

[hellnoire]

My trick? Linux does not get infected by viruses. As for if you're using only Windows, use the Panda USB Immunizer. It's free, and it would protect you from most viruses. And if it doesn't, just open it up to the E:/ (or whatever it is on your PC) and highlight all of them and scan. As for the other, no clue.

[vickypark]

hope there will be a virus for linux soon...

[evilfantasy]

Panda USB and AutoRun Vaccine

Insert your flash drive before we begin. Hold down the Shift key when inserting the flash drive until Windows detects it to bypass the autorun feature. This will keep the autorun.inf from executing automatically.

Download Panda USB and AutoRun Vaccine and save it to your desktop. - Alternate download link

* Extract (unzip) the file to your desktop and a folder named USBVaccine will be created.
* Open that folder and double-click on USBVaccine.exe to start the program.
* Click Run
* Click the button to Vaccinate computer.
* Insert your USB flash drive.
* When the name of the drive appears in the dialog box, click the button to Vaccinate USB drive(s).
* Exit Panda USB and AutoRun Vaccine when done.

Note: Computer AutoRun Vaccination will prevent any AutoRun file from running, regardless of whether the removable device is infected or not. USB Vaccination disables the autorun file so it cannot be read, modified or replaced by malicious code. The Panda Resarch Blog advises that once USB drives have been vaccinated, they cannot be reversed except with a format. If you do this, be sure to back up your data files first or they will be lost during the formatting process.

[hellnoire]

hope there will be a virus for linux soon...

Why don't you go and write it then? And in the mean time, I'll write one for you too.

Lol, why would you want a virus for Linux? Hmmm? We do have virus scanners and constant coders, so even if one was written, consider yourself unlucky as it wouldn't last long in the wide.

I swear, some people really need a life if they've got to go and wish viruses on others. Much more so to the ones that actually write them.