ThinkPad A20 bios question

From: leon (leon@inyc.com)
Date: 09/11/01 

From: "leon" <leon@inyc.com>
To: <security-basics@securityfocus.com>
Subject: ThinkPad A20 bios question
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 18:36:12 -0400
Message-ID: <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAA+8DoZCJ8SEaYk5pn4rrIf8KAAAAQAAAA4PuHZtjqc0mch2YYZD7CYgEAAAAA@inyc.com>

I have run into a client who has set a supervisor (or is a supervisor I
was a little confused by the description) password on the bios of a
ThinkPad A20. We have contacted IBM and they say the only way to fix
this issue is to replace the systemboard of the computer. Is this
true???? That seems super-drastic. Anyone have any better ideas or
programs that are made to specifically brute force bios (not sure if
that is possible). The bios version is 1.09 (IWET55WW) I am not sure of
the maker (award, phoenix, etc) because this is all 4th hand
information.

Anyway anyone with suggestions (not flames, I am not person who set the
bios password and did not write it down) please feel free to respond
publicly or privately.

Regards,

Leon

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