Kicking around in technology since 2002. I like to write about technology products and ideas, but at the consumer level understanding. Some tech, but not too techie.
Posting on Quora.com as well.
Why hardware write-protected USB drives are critical for Industrial Control Systems.
Honeywell’s recent cybersecurity report noted that 37% of threats are designed to spread via removable media, nearly doubling from 19% in 2020. That spike highlights how USB flash drives remain a weak link in Industrial Control Systems (ICS) if not properly managed.
Honeywell’s solution, Honeywell Forge, is software that monitors connected devices and flags risks [Ref:1]. Monitoring is useful, but it doesn’t prevent malware from getting in. Prevention requires the right kind of media in the first place.
Air-gapped systems and the USB problem
ICS environments are typically air-gapped—they’ve never touched the internet. Updates happen through portable storage, usually a USB flash drive. If that drive is compromised, malware bypasses all other defenses and lands directly in the control system. The only effective safeguard is a drive that is physically incapable of being infected while in transit.
Software tricks—like setting a read-only attribute with DISKPART or flipping registry rights—don’t cut it. Those methods are easy to reverse and offer little real protection against a determined attacker.
A hardware-level solution
The Lock License flash drive by Nexcopy takes a different approach. Its write protection is enforced at the hardware controller level. Unlike software locks, hardware-level controls cannot be undone with a few registry edits. This makes the device far more resistant to tampering or malware injection.
The Lock License design also balances usability. A content creator can temporarily unlock the drive with a password to write new data. Once disconnected, the drive automatically returns to its secure state: read-only. That means you can safely prepare update media in a trusted environment, then deploy it to an ICS without fear of the drive being altered along the way.
Final thought
It’s hard not to ask: why weren’t USB drives built like this from the beginning? For ICS, where uptime and safety are everything, a hardware write-protected flash drive isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity.
Did you know Windows 10 has a speed test feature you can easily run from the CMD prompt?
This feature is what many USB flash drive speed test applications call upon during their operation. Rather than download some software utility off the internet, which only god knows what virus could be lurking inside, just use the Windows tool.
In addition to avoiding the possibility of a virus from a internet download, this tool is a standardized feature everyone has. In the event you are having performance issues you are trying to report to a flash drive manufacturer, this tool gives you both the same code to perform USB flash drive speed tests without having different applications giving varied results.
Every flash drive manufacturer claims a particular read and write speed of their flash drive and this is a great tool to verify what you purchased is what you received. It’s been said manufacturers will manipulate their computer environment to optimize the performance and use those optimized results as their marketing material. This could be true when a manufacturer is trying to determine the maximum performance, so let’s take a look now at benchmarking a standard environment.
The read and write speed of a flash drive will depend on the USB port one is using during the test. You will see a performance difference between a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 device that is connected to a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 socket on your computer. So take note about what you are doing!
After you’ve connected the USB drive to your USB port, take note of which technology they are, and be sure no data is on your drive. Although this Windows utility did not remove our data during testing, one can never be too sure.
In Windows type CMD into the search field.
Please be sure to use the Ctrl + Shift keys when you click the Enter key. This will run the command prompt at the Administrator level. You want to run this at the Admin level because if you don’t, a separate window will pop up during the testing process and immediately disappear with the process is done… taking the speed test results with it!
Once you’ve opened the command prompt at the Admin level, type the following:
winsat disk -drive d (where d is drive letter)
Windows will perform it’s task and should take about one minute to complete. The results will be printed out in the console window once everything is complete. Take note from our example below. This is a 64GB drive which we connected to both a USB 2.0 socket and a USB 3.0 socket. You can see the performance difference.
The information you want are:
> Disk Sequential 64.0 Read
> Disk Sequential 64.0 Write
Nice feature, right? Free and immediately available.
For those who don’t want to go this far, you could always take a large file, say 100MBs or larger and drag-and-drop this to your USB flash drive for speed testing. Just look at the copy process window and you’ll get a fairly good idea of device speed.
It’s important to remember flash drive media does not copy at sustained transfer speeds. The speed process does move around during the copy process; however, the read process is more stable and should happen at a more sustained transfer speed. We’ve seen drives drop down to 1MB/second for a short bit, before jumping back up to 30+MB/second write speed.
Why Windows shows the wrong USB volume name—and three ways to fix it.
On some Windows 10 systems, a USB flash drive displays the wrong volume label in File Explorer—even though the name is correct in Disk Management. In some cases, every connected USB device shows the same (incorrect) label. If you’re seeing this, there are three likely causes. Start with the simplest first.
It seems the Microsoft updates are endless for Windows 10. Here is an update to how USB flash drives are ejected. The information isn’t new, but could be a method you hadn’t noticed from a past update and worth a quick read. Ejecting a USB flash drive from the Windows operating system is still a best-practice routine. By using a safe eject process, the possibility of the USB drive getting corrupt or loss of data is minimal.
The eject feature in the Windows toolbar for quickly unmounting USB flash drives is right there, ready to use and easy to access.
How to quickly eject a USB flash drive in Windows:
In the bottom right of your computer screen look for the tool bar and up arrow carrot. Click the access arrow in that tool bar to get started.
Hover over the USB icon and click the USB icon.
Your list of connected devices will show up. Now, hover over the USB flash drive device you want to Eject and click it.
Why enterprises are turning to hardware-based write protection for USB flash drives.
Data protection and cyber-security have become inseparable from day-to-day business operations. In this article, Greg Morris, CEO of Nexcopy Incorporated in Southern California, explores the opportunities enterprises have with write-protected USB technology.
November 18, 2020
As the global economy leans further into digitization, intellectual property and sensitive assets are increasingly shared in digital form. That shift comes with higher risks. Data breaches, cyberattacks, and hacking attempts against individuals, governments, and private corporations have grown dramatically over the past decade. Reports suggest that a single data intrusion can cost an enterprise an average of $3.92 million in damages.
The stakes are clear: protecting digital data—especially confidential information—should be a top priority for IT managers. Without a strategy in place, an enterprise leaves itself open to cyber criminals who can exploit weak entry points to steal or manipulate information worth millions.
Cyber-security and endpoint data loss protection strategies need to cover all access points, including portable devices like USB flash drives. Employees require storage tools that are both secure and simple to use. Striking this balance empowers users while ensuring IT managers can safeguard the organization’s infrastructure against human error or forgetfulness.
Since IBM introduced the USB flash drive in 2000, the device has remained a primary tool for information exchange across industries—government, healthcare, finance, telecommunications, and manufacturing all rely on USB storage. While convenient, standard USB drives carry risk. Without built-in safeguards, they can easily become vehicles for leaking sensitive data.
Healthcare illustrates the problem clearly. Doctors often use USB drives to move patient data between offices and hospitals. Each site must remain secure, yet transferring files creates opportunities for malware to piggyback on the process. If a USB is read-only by default, malicious code cannot be written to it. After a network scan confirms safety, a password can unlock the drive to temporarily allow write access. By defaulting to write-protected mode, Lock License drives make it impossible for malware to slip in unnoticed.
Lock License drives automatically return to read-only mode whenever they are disconnected. This creates a smooth user experience—data can always be read without a password, while write access requires explicit authorization. Employees get the simplicity they expect, while IT teams benefit from reduced exposure to cyber threats.
The same principle applies in industrial settings. System control products—such as turbines, pumps, and wind energy motors—rely on firmware updates to function properly. Because these units lack interfaces to enter encryption passwords, encrypted USBs are not practical. A write-protected USB, however, is ideal. The system can pull updates directly from the drive, while the drive itself remains immune to malicious code injection.
Layered defenses remain critical for modern enterprises. Software solutions help, but locking down the most common physical entry point—the USB port—with hardware-enforced read-only devices adds another level of protection. Nexcopy’s write-protected USB flash drives fit into this broader strategy, helping both public and private organizations reduce vulnerabilities and maintain tighter control over digital assets.
Nexcopy’s Lock License flash drive adds password-based control to hardware write protection.
Nexcopy has redefined how secure USB media can function with the Lock License flash drive. By default, the drive is read-only—completely write protected. Using Nexcopy’s Lock License utility, the user can temporarily unlock the device with a password to enable write access. Once power is cut, the device automatically reverts to its safest state: read-only.
Greg Morris, CEO of Nexcopy Inc., explains: “What makes the Lock License unique is that whenever power is cut, the USB automatically returns to write-protected mode. This first-line defense makes it impossible for malicious software or a virus to infect the drive.”
The initial password is set on first use. From that point on, the user controls when the drive is writable. The design offers businesses a practical balance between usability and security.
Key Features
Default state is read-only (hardware write protection)
User-defined password removes write protection
No password required for reading; functions like a WORM device
GUI and command line utilities available for unlocking
No back-door access—Nexcopy cannot unlock the device
Available in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, from 2GB up to 128GB
Stan McCrosky, head of Sales at Nexcopy, points to industries such as utilities, petroleum, and waterworks as clear beneficiaries. “Being able to update firmware on a hardware write-protected USB ensures maximum in-field security. The command line utility lets manufacturers automate updates without leaving the drive in a writable state.”
How It Works
Insert the Lock License USB into a Windows computer
Launch the GUI or command line utility
Enter the assigned password to unlock write access
Load or update content on the drive
Eject the drive—once disconnected, it reverts to read-only
Read access is universal; password is only required for unlocking write access
Nexcopy offers the Lock License media in multiple body styles and colors suitable for custom branding. Options include Oxford (swivel style), Newport, Lexington, Augusta, Huntington, and Geneva. Oxford is the stocked model, available for same-day printing and shipping.
In stock, Nexcopy carries Oxford swivel drives in USB 2.0 (2GB, 4GB) and USB 3.0 (8GB through 128GB) capacities. Full-color branding is available through Nexcopy’s Logo-EZ printer.
The Lock License utility can be downloaded from Nexcopy’s support page. Note: the security function requires Nexcopy-licensed media—it cannot be applied to off-the-shelf USB sticks.
Kingston Technology, based in Fountain Valley California, will become the majority shareholder in a joint venture set up with Phison Electronics, one of its Taiwanese suppliers.
Phison Electronics will sell its shares in the joint venture called Kingston Solutions, Inc. (KSI) to the Fountain Valley company, which announced the transaction earlier today, August 11, 2020. The deal is worth nearly $60.3 million US.
Kingston, a maker of memory products for computers and consumer electronics, is Orange County’s largest private company. The firm, led by co-founder and chief executive John Tu, had revenue of $12.8 billion last year.
In general terms the TF card and microSD card are the same. They are the same in physical size and same in most technical terms. The two devices may be used in exchange with each other.
There are some technical differences between the two which will be explained later, for now, the biggest difference between a TF card and microSD card is the history of the name.
The TF card came out first. TF card or T-Flash or TransFlash was first to market from SanDisk in 2004. SanDisk, in partnership with Motorola, created the TF card specification. The TF card was the smallest read/write memory form factor and was designed for mobile devices (thus the small size).
TF cards are based on NAND1 memory. The TF card did not last long. At the end of 2004 the Secure Digital Association, which is the governing body over Secure Digital media, absorbed the TransFlash technology and re-branded as: microSD.
This implies, the life of the TF card ended in late 2004 and the microSD card has been available ever since. This will explain why you cannot find a “TF” branded card today (2020). The other reason you cannot find TF cards today is the maximium size of only 16MBs or 32MBs at the time of production. Today you cannot find any memory device with that small of gigabyte capacity.
Here is the technical difference between the two: Micro SD cards can support SDIO mode, which means they can perform tasks unrelated to memory, such as Bluetooth, GPS, and Near Field Communication. Whereas a TransFlash card cannot perform this kind of task.
SDIO mode stands for Secure Digital Input Output, a type of Secure Digital card interface. It may be used as an interface for input or output devices.
The SD Association devised a way to standardize the speed ratings for different cards. These are defined as ‘Speed Class’ and refer to the absolute minimum sustained write speeds. Cards can be rated as Class 2 (minimum write speed of 2MB/s), Class 4 (4MB/s), Class 6 (6MB/s) or Class 10 (10MB/s). It’s important to note that these are the minimum, so it’s entirely possible a card can achieve faster speeds.
NAND is not an acronym. Instead, the term is short for “NOT AND,” a Boolean operator and logic gate. The NAND operator produces a FALSE value only if both values of its two inputs are TRUE. It may be contrasted with the NOR operator, which only produces a TRUE value if both inputs are FALSE.
Did you know Windows Defender can be setup to scan a USB stick automatically, when it’s plugged in? Below are the steps to make that configuration setup.
By default, Windows 10 does not have this setting configured. We are not sure why, as USB sticks and downloads from internet sites are probably the two most vunerable ways to get a computer infected. Our only guess, is the scan process of a USB stick can take some time, and for a user to have that step done with each connection, could reduce the user experience.
This tutorial will take about three minutes to setup. I would suggest read the rest of this article and when done, go back and perform the few steps required to make the Windows Defender scan for USB flash drives.
We are going to make a Group Policy to scan USB flash drives using Windows Defender.
Let us run the Group Policy editor.
Press the Windows Key + R
Type gpedit.msc and press Enter or OK.
Look for the Administrative Templates under the top Computer Configuration directory, expand this directory (folder)
Scroll down to Windows Components, expand it
In that directory scroll down more and look for Windows Defender Antivirus, expand it
Billy Idol’s Hot In The City is a tune which comes to mind whenever talking about USB gadgets that cool thyself.
With summer coming into full swing, this is a good time for a USB fan mention. Cruising the Amazon website this Aikoper product popped up. At first glance I honestly thought the fan was designed by Apple Computers. The aluminum base, slick black body and the cool grey vents, thought it was from Apple for sure. Wrong!
This USB fan has some unique features we believe everyone will like.
There is no switch for turning the fan on or off. Rather you touch the aluminum base. That is very Apple’esc. A single tap to the base and the USB fan goes into “low speed” mode. A double tap will put the USB fan into “high speed” mode. The third tap will turn the fan off. The touch sensitive base has four rubber pads to insure no vibration during operation.
The fan itself is a dual-blade design. Meaning there are four blades toward the front of the bionic shaped shell and another four blades near the rear of the black shell. The idea here is reducing the device noise while in operation.
The black shell case is convex in design to pull air down and into the system, rather than up and into the system. Although the pitch of the shell isn’t great, we may assume less dust and dirt will come into the system from a pull-down air flow design. The curved shell sits on a the aluminum base with some pitch mobility to angle the fan a bit higher or lower for optimal position while in use.
The Amazon listing has over 1,609 ratings with 61% as a five star product, 13% as four star product and the balance just picky people trying to be overly critical. To give you an idea of product feedback and experience, here are some testimonials from the Amazon listing:
