One of the risks that we run when using our computer connected to the Internet is the possibility of being infected by numerous malwares, which use USB devices to spread. To avoid it, we can use a tool like Panda USB Vaccine , which we will talk about next.
If our computer is infected with any type of malware and we connect any USB storage medium, the malware will be copied to said storage in the form of a self-executing file called autorun.inf . From here it will take care of automatically infecting other computers to which we connect them without our knowing it. To prevent it from spreading, it is important to make sure that this file is not on the USB stick or, failing that, we can block it.
What is and what is Panda USB Vaccine used for?
Panda USB Vaccine is a free tool developed by the Panda security company that will protect the different USB devices that we can connect to the computer from malware . In this way we can protect devices such as an external hard drive, a flash drive, a memory card or a CD / DVD optical disc.
This application will automatically create a secure autorun.inf file, where no relevant data is included, completely blocking memory. In this way, even if a virus is copied to this device, it will not run automatically when the device is connected to a computer, when it is blocked. To be able to unlock it, it will only be possible by formatting the device. Although this tool can be very useful, it does not replace the presence of an antivirus that can provide us with permanent protection for our system.
Main features
- It creates an autorun.inf file on the device that protects it so that it cannot be modified or deleted, so that even if a virus is copied, it cannot be run.
- It disables the auto-start option of a USB memory or optical disk that are used by viruses to infect computers.
- You have the option to “vaccinate” your computer to disable automatic execution on both USB-connected devices and CD / DVD optical discs. In this way, no malware can spread through it.
- It has support for NTFS file system (Beta)
Vaccinate your PC and USB devices
Once we run Panda USB Vaccine we will find its main menu , perfectly in Spanish, with its two fundamental functions well marked clearly and concisely. On the one hand, we will have the Vaccination of the PC and on the other hand the Vaccination of USB devices.
PC vaccination
The PC Vaccination option is in charge of automatically deactivating the auto-execution mechanism of applications from USB and CD / DVD devices. In this way, we prevent any malware included in a flash drive through an autorun.inf file that we connect to our PC from being able to reproduce and infect our equipment.
Vaccination of USB devices
The Vaccination function of USB devices eliminates one of the malware’s reproduction mechanisms, such as infection of the autorun.inf file. This is done by preventing malware from overwriting this file inside a USB storage device, creating an identical write-protected program.
Once vaccinated, if we access the USB memory and activate the “Hidden Elements” we can verify that an AUTORUN.INF file has been created. We will not be able to execute or delete this file, so no malware can use it to infect us. The only way to erase it will be by formatting the drive.
Download and install Panda USB Vaccine
Panda USB Vaccine is an application that we can download for free , being compatible with the Windows operating system from XP to Windows in 32 and 64 bit versions. Its main drawback is that it has not been updated since 2009 by its developer, although the program is still fully functional.
To install Panda USB Vaccine, we downloaded a small auto-executable that takes up less than 1 MB and is very easy to install. We only have to select which are the components that we want to install from the wizard itself.
In this way, it will be possible to choose if we want the program to start automatically when Windows starts. If we want to hide the icon in the toolbar and if we want to automatically vaccinate any USB memory that we connect to our computer. It also has support for NTFS, although it is in Beta phase and because it no longer has support, its use is not recommended in case we have important files saved.
Similar apps to Panda USB Vaccine
If we are concerned about the security of our devices and we fear that any malware may spread through the USB port of our computer, we propose a couple of alternatives to Panda USB Vaccine.
UsbFix
This tool has been specially developed to block and eradicate any malware that has damaged our USB device, or our computer, even if we do not know of its existence. It is also capable of automatically disabling autoplay / autorun, as well as repairing registry access and showing hidden files. We can download UsbFix from its website.
USB Rescue
With this tool we can carry out the actions to eliminate hidden folders and files that are automatically created by malware. For this they are removed from the root of your USB storage. The program performs the process automatically, sending the harmful files to a folder called “quarantine” so that they cannot infect it. We can download USB Rescate for free.
