I'm curious if it's possible to create a system where a USB device acts as a presence key for logging into Steam (and maybe other game launchers). The concept is that plugging in the USB would automatically log me into the client, and taking it out would log me out or close the client immediately, ensuring no credentials are saved on the computer. I'm not asking for the exact steps to make this happen but rather whether it's a viable project from a coding and security perspective, or if there are major obstacles like Steam Guard or credential handling that would make it unrealistic.
1 Answer
It's probably doable! You can use task scheduler to trigger scripts when a USB is plugged in or removed. In theory, you could have the credentials stored on the USB, but there'd have to be some initial setup on the host machine. It's risky security-wise since allowing a USB to run code automatically poses a significant vulnerability.
That makes sense! I hadn't considered the security risks of USBs running code on their own. I was picturing this more as a presence key rather than executing code. Do you think just detecting the USB and using scripting would work, or would Steam's security measures complicate it too much?