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I purchased an Intel compute stick to turn a TV into a display.

I have it set up so that I can VNC into the computer to change what shows up (Open windows, show movies, etc...). It works great in this fashion, however my concern now is securing it.

It is currently plugged into the back of a TV. At this point anyone could plug in a USB mouse/cable and they would have control over it. I cannot lock the computer because I want the desktop to be the display (not a lock screen).

Some ideas I've had

  • Require admin password when plugging in a USB device

    • I don't know if this is even possible. Google hasn't helped.

  • Physically box up the device

    • I couldn't find anything on the market and the low profile nature of the device means a box would push the TV away from the wall.

  • Run it as a user with only the necessary privileges

    • Maybe this is the best option?

What would be the best way to secure this computer?

Anders
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noslenkwah
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2 Answers2

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The best option IMO is to physically secure the box. That can take the form of locking the whole box up, or any of the options that lock USB ports.

Tim Brigham
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You could disable all the USB ports that aren't used, remove the USB drivers (unless you need them) and disable the automatic driver install when USB is inserted.

Thiago Escobar
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  • If I disable the USB drives, the only way to interact would be remotely through the network. If anything happened to the network, even a changing of the SSID or password, I would lose all ways to interact with it. – noslenkwah Feb 28 '19 at 20:05