If a computer manufacturer disables a system's USB ports, it's usually because the customer has requested this temporary disablement as an added security feature, although a manufacturer may also recommend this option to highly security-conscious customers, anyway.īut how does disabling USB ports benefit security? In other words, the disablement is not permanent the USB ports are only disabled at boot time. The keywords here are 'at boot time,' meaning that once a user accesses a computer's operating system (OS), the USB ports should become fully functional again. Credit: Learn2Free Why do companies disable the USB ports on their computers?Ĭomputer manufacturers sometimes disable Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports as boot sources to protect end customers from a USB cyberattack.ĭisabling USB ports at boot time is achieved when firmware designers set USB disablement parameters within a system's Basic Input Output System (BIOS). Photo: Computer manufacturers disable USB ports mainly for security reasons. In this blog post, we'll explain why disabling USB ports makes sense, how cyberattackers target USB ports, and what you can do to protect them. One of these attack methods involves USB ports, which some security-conscious computer manufacturers, like Trenton Systems, disable to protect their customers. There are a lot of security measures you can take to protect your high-performance computer (HPC), from implementing FIPS self-encrypting drives (SEDs) to installing comprehensive security suites and so on.īut cyberattackers are beginning to focus more on attacks, whether in-person or originating from supply chain infiltration, that target a system's hardware.

Why do companies disable the USB ports on their computers?.

Photo: Like other system hardware, USB ports need a bit of tender, loving protection.

Lock usb device into port