Secure disconnect USB disk

[newpagella]

I have a tiny, desktop Asus PC, Win 8.1 64bit; it is connected by USB3.0 to an external 3TB drive. The desktop has shortcut links to various directories in the external disk. Unplugging it and reconnecting it works fine.

I would like to keep the disk secured as a protection against ransomware &c, connecting it only when I need to access the data. MY QUESTION: for security, must the drive be physically disconnected (after SAFELY REMOVE), or is there a simple way to unmount it (software/command) such that remounting it by sophisticated malware is exceedingly unlikely?

If it is actually necessary to physically disconnect it, can anyone advise of an inexpensive USB3 switch which disconnects both data and power, other than the Amazon B00RC1R69S, which is a cable-adapter type switch; I would prefer a small desktop switchbox?

Many thanks.

 

[XavierMace]

Is pressing a button on a switch really that much easier than just pulling the cable? I mean we are talking a USB cable here.

 

[newpagella]

There are three issues here. Basically, you are correct, but this requires a bit of fiddling which I would like to have family members avoid. Also, I'm afraid that doing this frequently will damage the sockets. Of course, I could get a pair of three-foot USB3 extension cables and route them to the front, but there are already too many wires around.
The third issue is the first part of the question: I am interested in whether there is actually a method to isolate the USB drive (when it is not in use) which is significantly resistant to access by malware (other than by physical disconnection).

 

[corkyg]

If you get an A/C plug box with switched ports, you simply connect the external drives power source to one of the switched ports. The USB cable always stays connected. I've been doing this for years with external drives. All you do is turn their power on and off. No wear and tear on USB connectors. The power box is also useful for other peripherals such as printers, scanners, etc. That way you never mess with the data connections.