Re: BIOS and Hard Drive Passwords - Are they effective security approaches?

From: Agent Mimic (null_at_void.net)
Date: 05/23/03 

Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 03:44:00 +0100

"Doug Fox" <dfox168@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2nfza.9756$cK1.9538@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
> Are the benefits out-weighed the costs of deploying BIOS and/or Hard Drive
> passwords on laptops?
>
> People supports this idea claim that:
> It has one more layer of defense.
>
> People who do not support this idea claim that:
> If users forgot the BIOS passwords, the system could not boot up.
> It may increase the support costs.
> The BIOS passwords can be reset by a hardware technician in no time. If
the
> "thief" is interested in data, he can remove the hard drive to another
> laptop.
> ??
>
> If the users forgot their harddrive passwords. The system could not boot
> up.
> It could increase the support costs.
> It could "fire" the motherboard. (?)
> ??
>
> A better approach is to use PGP to encrypt the disk, or folders containing
> sensitive information.
>
> Any comments/input are appreciated.
>
>

Bios passwords will keep the kiddies out, but you will never keep are
hardk0re determined cracker out. (imo).
The BIOS password can be reset simply by removing the battery. Or by using a
defulat password (from my list ;D)
What are the "hard drive" passwords you speak of ? If you mean the windows
passwords;
9x can be bypassed with ESC.
The colorful login (which can be turned off) in XP can be spoofed to collect
passwords, etc etc. 

--
Mimic
"Without Knowledge you have fear, With fear you create your own nightmares."
"There are 10 types of people in this world. Those that understand Binary,
and those that dont".

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