How to get an email notification when a USB storage device is inserted?

Question

We are running more than 600 Ubuntu systems in our company. It is a data centre so we have certain policies. We have disabled the usage of storage devices in all the Ubuntu systems. However we would like to configure email alerts. If someone inserts storage devices, we should get an email Alert with subject as below,

Email Alert:

STORAGE DEVICE FOUND on IP: 172.29.35.18

Note:

• Where as for Windows system, we have certain policies applied in our DC. So there is no problem with Windows system.
• We need to receive alerts for Ubuntu system also. Any way to accomplish the above task would be great.

Update:

• Few things i would like to clarify, If the user disconnects the network cable and if the user uses usb for data transfer? I know that i wont get any intimations but later if they connect network is it possible to get those pending notifications??
• Some uses usb for charging their mobile phones, is it possible get email notifications for that also??

Answer 1

The way to do this is to use a udev rule which will apply to all USB storage devices from any manufacturer. For the email part, note that Ubuntu Desktop does NOT include any command-line email client, so unless you wish to install one, the notification script should communicate directly via raw SMTP commands to your local mail server.

Answer 2

You can use Cuttlefish ( https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/cuttlefish/ )!

Cuttlefish is a program that can perform actions when events occur. For example, you can run a command when a USB is plugged in:

How to work with Cuttlefish:

1. Make a new Reflex from the upper left corner:
2. Give it the name of your preference, enable Activated by stimulus, and click on None so as to select a stimulus:
3. Click on the left Hardware and on the right USB device plugged in. Then click OK.
4. Click on the reaction tab and click on the plus sign on the bottom left:
5. Head to Applications->Start Application (advanced mode). Then click OK.
6. Now, on the right, you can see that you can select an executable to run with any parameters you wish, so, you have to let Cuttlefish run on the system tray and it will run your command each time a USB device is plugged in:

I assume that you know a command which you can use in order to send your email. If not, please post it as a comment so as to include it into my answer.

Answer 3

As per this answer, add this code to /etc/udev/rules.d/90-local.rules

ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="block", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", ATTRS{vendor}=="SanDisk ", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/usb.sh"

and in the usb.sh file , add this code

#!/bin/bash
ifconfig | grep ip >>/tmp/usb.log

echo “USB inserted.” | mutt -a /tmp/usb.log -s “attachment” [email protected]

source

---

Now i am gonna try to automate it, so you can add this rule/script in 600 Ubuntu systems.

    sudo echo " ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="block", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]1", ATTRS{vendor}=="SanDisk ", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/usb.sh" ">>/etc/udev/rules.d/90-local.rules

 #then the `usb.sh`

    sudo echo "     #!/bin/bash
        ifconfig | grep ip >>/tmp/usb.log

        echo “USB inserted.” | mutt -a /tmp/usb.log -s “attachment” [email protected] " >>/usr/local/bin/usb.sh

This script is not tested, and the automating process will be improved.
As soon as I set up some test PC's.

Answer 4

You'll be able to see any new usb device that does not only grab the power of the server (witch normally includes the phones)

For the USB part : How can I listen for 'usb device inserted' events in Linux, in Python?

Sending an e-mail in python : email - Python - How to send utf-8 e-mail?

For the ethernet use netplugd and use the up or down statements :
Ubuntu Manpage: netplugd -- network cable hotplug management daemon