Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Enhanced Storage Access Description
This policy setting configures whether or not only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices are allowed. Allowing only root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices minimizes the risk of an unauthorized USB device reading data on an Enhanced Storage device. If you enable this policy setting, only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices are allowed. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, USB Enhanced Storage devices connected to both USB root hubs and non-root hubs will be allowed.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices Value name: RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices
Enabled: RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices = 1
Disabled: RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_EnhancedStorage/RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices]
"RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_EnhancedStorage/RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices' -Name 'RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices' -Name 'RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow only USB root hub connected Enhanced Storage devices
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EnhancedStorageDevices'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'RootHubConnectedEnStorDevices' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.