Patent ID: 8011013

Claim:
A method for controlling a USB device, accessed from a USB port on a personal computer comprising the steps of: the personal computer monitoring the USB port; the personal computer detecting the USB device connected to the USB port; a software module identifying a type of the USB device, the software module stored in a memory on the personal computer and comprising a configuration rule in accordance with a security policy; the software module determining that the USB device is authorized by comparing the type of the USB device to a list of USB device types stored in a parameter file in the memory of the personal computer; the software module determining that a file stored on the USB device is authorized by comparing the file to a list of files stored in the parameter file in the memory of the personal computer; and the software module, in accordance with the configuration rule and determining the USB device is authorized and the file is authorized, either allowing the personal computer to access the USB device or preventing the personal computer from accessing the USB device.