Chrome OS To Block USB Access While the Screen is Locked (zdnet.com)

Google will add a new security feature to Chrome OS, the company's web-based operating system that powers its Chromebooks devices, it announced this week. From a report: The new feature, named USBGuard, will block access to the USB port access while the device's screen is locked. According to a Chrome OS source code commit spotted by Chrome Story earlier this week, the new feature is currently available in Chrome OS Canary builds and is expected to land in the stable branch of Chrome OS soon. Once this happens, users can enable it by modifying the following Chrome OS flag: chrome://flags/#enable-usbguard . The way this security feature is meant to work is by preventing the operating system from reading or executing any code when a USB-based device is plugged in, and the screen is locked.

Comments

Re:Macs had this for years

[PsychoSlashDot]

So if you have a locked screen and the keyboard stops functioning, plugging a new one in the USB port will not work?

The parent to your comment specifically said "mass storage", which human interface devices are not. The summary also refers to not being able to read or execute code while locked and USB inserted, which sounds similar... since key-presses/mouse-clicks aren't code.

I suspect someone smarter than both you and I thought about this before implementing it.