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How can I prevent file on USB flash drive to being copy and paste either via right click or drag and drop copy to other device that is hookup to it like a PC ? The file will be PDF, document file, JPG or some other image file, and some movie file etc?

The scenario is the file will be needed to be just viewable to show people but they cannot copy any part of it out from it other than admin level that create/authorize full control of it. Example is like a person on a field trip is bring some presentation stored on USB flash drive and show it on field premise to showcase company stuff like brochure, powerpoint, concept drawing, sales figure etc but we do not allowed them to have those file on the USB drive to being able to copied off to client's PC or even their own home without authorization. Not even a phrase or JPG image from a particular document etc. Pretty much just view only mode.

i found in the Amazon, it indeed has such product FYEO copy protection USB flash drive. the link is http://www.amazon.com/FYEO-Partition-Protection-Encryption-Waterproof/dp/B01C5ZIL6C?ie=UTF8&m=A1BZ6154GHMVA5&qid=1462416629&ref_=sr_1_26&s=merchant-items&sr=1-26

http://www.amazon.com/FYEO-Professional-Collection-Anti-Virus-Protection/dp/B01C3P40P0?ie=UTF8&m=A1BZ6154GHMVA5&qid=1462416629&ref_=sr_1_48&s=merchant-items&sr=1-48

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    If it can be read, it can be copied.... otherwise just encrypt the drive, which is essentially what those drives are doing you linked.
    – acejavelin
    May 5, 2016 at 2:57
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    if you can open a document or file, you can copy it... Simple as that, the drive has no possible way of knowing if a file is being opened or copied, it looks exactly the same from the drives perspective, a simple read operation. Read the description of the FYEO drive, it is simply a 2 partition drive, one public and private/encrypted partition, no magic other than by the marketing department
    – acejavelin
    May 5, 2016 at 4:06
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    Impossible. If I open the jpg and can't copy, what is to stop me taking a screen shot
    – Dave
    May 5, 2016 at 5:12
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    Possible duplicate of is there a way to prevent data in a flash drive from being copied
    – DavidPostill
    May 5, 2016 at 12:14
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    Possible duplicate of How to protect copying files out of flash memory?
    – Moab
    May 5, 2016 at 16:39

3 Answers 3

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In the end, but reading is copying. To "read" a file practically means to "copy into RAM", otherwise programs couldn't work with it. And once that's done, you can't possibly stop every single program from having a "Save As..." or "Copy to..." option.

The same applies even to humans. If someone reads a phrase, they will remember it and can write it down by hand. (Although more likely they'll just take photos of the whole presentation.)

Maybe it would be enough to put watermarks on everything?

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  • we use layered FSD Technology, that means there is no Cache in the computer. we can stop the people who have good memory can remember all thing and write it down. if you take photo, you will spend lots of time to do it again.
    – Kevin Wang
    May 20, 2016 at 7:45
  • How it does answers the question?
    – Maharaj
    Jan 12, 2018 at 6:17
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It's not practically possible because if someone can read it, he/she can also copy it. Even if you control the machine/computer, they can still capture the photos of the screen. Secudrive offers secured USB drives: http://www.secudrives.com/products/USB-security that is something similar to Amazon copy-protection drive you've mentioned in your question.

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The one asking this question is I think not worried with the print screen option for doing it needs more time. There are actually flash drives now available for this. The only problem is the price. But it you want to do it with your own it cal still be done. The best method is to convert some of your files into .exe files. But the chance is that those files can be mistaken as viruses so that when you open your flash drive but you forgot to off your antivirus, the files will be damaged or maybe automatically being deleted. Just leave a reply if you are still interested on it.

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  • "The best method is to convert some of your files into .exe files." No, if want to hide files, you should encrypt the drive.
    – Arjan
    Dec 26, 2016 at 11:49

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