What “USB kill switch” means here
DeskLatch can request a Windows lock, restart or shutdown when it sees a USB device event. This is an event-response tool. It does not damage hardware, disable USB ports or stop a device from communicating before Windows reports the event.
Set a USB response
- Open DeskLatch from the tray and select Triggers.
- Choose an action for USB device connected and USB device removed. Use Do nothing for an event you do not want to act on.
- Save your rules. Run Test monitoring (no actions) from the tray before enabling real responses.
- Connect or remove a nonessential test device. Check which events your hardware reports.
- When ready, choose Enable. The manual countdown gives you five seconds to step away; Escape cancels it.
An example worth testing
You might use a keypress or mouse click to lock Windows, and a USB connection to restart. Removal can have a different action. If Windows is already locked, an enabled locked-state profile takes priority, including a locked rule set to Do nothing.
Know the limits before choosing restart
USB hubs and docks can produce several events. Disconnecting a dock can also change displays and power. The app is not a per-device USB allowlist. Restart and shutdown can lose unsaved work; the optional force-close setting makes that risk more direct. Windows and running applications can affect when a power action completes.
A device event arrives after the operating system observes a change. DeskLatch cannot guarantee that an attached device had no opportunity to act. Use normal Windows protections and encryption for the underlying security boundary.
When the desktop is already locked
Enable the separate Windows locked profile to respond to USB changes during a lock, even when normal monitoring is off.