Safely opening a suspect USB Drive

If you have a USB Drive that may or may not be contaminated, what is the best way to retrieve data from it without reinfecting yourself?

Oorang

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 275

– Scott – 2017-05-06T21:53:49.453

Answers

If you want to be completely sure, mount it on a Mac or Linux box. Seriously.

For an example, see the new shortcut icon exploit, which ALL Windows machines since NT have been vulnerable to. This exploit allows arbitrary code to be executed simply when the folder is opened. No Autorun required. No manual execution required. It infects the system as soon as the folder is opened.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Exploit%3AWin32%2FCplLnk.A

If you don't have a real *nix (includes Mac) box, just boot from a LiveCD. You may want to scan with Clam AntiVirus while you're at it too.

Hello71

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 7 636

3+1 - If it's a Windows machine, load it on OSX or Linux, or a Windows box you don't care about. – JNK – 2010-07-26T16:33:41.857

2Absolutely! May want to edit this post to include running from a LiveCD in case there isn't a Linux box handy. Then scan with Clam – Dennis – 2010-07-26T17:58:05.210

Completely safe, because macOS and Linux are invulnerable to malware? No. Seriously. They are less vulnerable, maybe, but Linux is *not* immune to viruses. If you disconnect all your storage devices (HDDs, SSDs, etc.) and your network connection, and boot from a LiveCD, then maybe you are relatively safe from malware. – Scott – 2017-05-06T20:30:33.100

The first thing you absolutely need to do is disable autorun. There is a good tutorial here.

If it were me though, I'd boot to a non-writable OS (e.g. Knoppix) and copy the data off that way. Knoppix is outstanding for this sort of recovery.

Satanicpuppy

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 6 169

Mount it on a computer booted off of a Linux live boot CD and the hard drives (and any other USB drives too) disconnected.

Brian Knoblauch

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 4 313

+1 for taking the accepted answer and improving it.

– Scott – 2017-05-06T20:31:24.690

If you are using windows then disable auto-run.

How to disable autorun: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/967715

Daisetsu

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 5 195

Holding the left shift while inserting the drive will temporarily disable autorun

Jason Berg

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 1 054

1It is however not the most reliable method I have seen. – Gnoupi – 2010-08-22T06:43:35.547

Disable auto-run as mentioned by Daisetsu and use the Command Prompt which won't be exploited.

Tamara Wijsman

Posted 2010-07-26T16:27:34.943

Reputation: 54 163