Keeping USB ports enabled on a laptop when not necessary increases the physical attack surface. This is because USB ports can be used to connect devices that may be malicious or compromised, such as USB drives containing malware or tools designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the system’s hardware or software. By leaving USB ports enabled, an attacker with physical access to the laptop could potentially use these ports to launch an attack, bypass security measures, or steal data.

References: The concept of physical attack surfaces includes all the physical means through which an attacker can gain unauthorized access to a system or network. This aligns with the cybersecurity best practices that recommend disabling unnecessary ports and services to minimize the attack surface, as detailed in various security frameworks and guidelines, including those from the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) program123.