Writing to a "application/octet-stream" file on linux

I am working on application which should block some USB devices.

I have found a way how could be blocking done. Problem is, as it's written here, that I need to write some string into /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe file. Mentioned file is application/octet-stream and I can't find a way how to read or write to this file.

I have tried vim, echo, hexdump with sudo or as root, but every time I get "Permission denied" or "No such device" message. I did not tried it in C/C++, which is my app using, but I guess it would bring same result.

Can anyone help me understand how kernel developers meant writing to that file?

Solution

If you get "Permission denied", it means you are not opening the file with root privileges:

$ sudo echo 4-1 > /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe
bash: /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe: Permission denied

$ echo 4-1 | sudo tee /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe > /dev/null
(no error)

If you get "No such device", it means you are writing the wrong string:

$ echo 'foobar' | sudo tee /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe > /dev/null
tee: /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe: No such device

$ echo '3-1.3.1:1.3' | sudo tee /sys/bus/usb/drivers_probe > /dev/null
(no error)