Desktop management vendor ScriptLogic is expected next week to add controls for securing USB and other ports on desktop computers so administrators can better protect the collection and dissemination of corporate data.

Desktop Authority 7.5 has an optional USB and Port Security feature that lets companies selectively lock out or permit the use of USB devices, including cameras, external hard drives, and DVD and CD burners.

"We have a number of applications that do require some usage of USB ports, and before, we could not monitor who needed those ports," says Jim Clements, consultant for special projects with the city of Raleigh, N.C. "Now we can selectively allow cameras that are part of videoconferencing, but we can eliminate the use of memory sticks."

Clements says his only option previously was to shut everything down by disabling the USB features in the system's basic input/output system or allow everything to connect by keeping the port open.

The software also has updating capabilities, which allow scheduled and unscheduled desktop- configuration changes, and new deployment and management capabilities, including integration with ScriptLogic's Desktop Authority MSI Studio (formerly Installer Design Studio), which creates packages used to install software on desktops. The company plans to provide users all the tools needed to provision, manage and decommission networked desktops.

The USB/Port control is a policy engine that lets users create and assign policies based on individual or groups of users, or groups of machines. The feature supports nearly 20 devices, including PC Card devices, MP3 players, PDAs, smart phones, modems, and FireWire and Bluetooth devices, and works with the upcoming release of Microsoft Vista, as well as older Windows operating systems.

Also new in Version 7.5 is a refresh feature for updating or reinforcing the configurations and policies mandated for a desktop. Previously, those configurations could be altered only at logon or logoff, but now users can push out updates at any time and can run one-time updates.

ScriptLogic has added a point-and-click feature for deploying, updating and removing software from a desktop. Integration with MSI Studio lets users populate the Desktop Authority repository with software in the form of installation packages, so they have a management console from which they select a package to install and designate which Desktop Authority installation server will deliver it.