Re: Wake On LAN

From: Colonel Flagg (colonel_flagg_at_NOSOUPFORJ00internetwarzone.org)
Date: 05/23/03 

Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 23:05:59 -0400

In article <LNfza.1690$iv4.19242@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
mbagley@bigpond.net.au says...
> Is Wake On LAN technology generally considered secure or unsecure? Do
> government institutions condemn or condone the use of this technology on
> their internal LAN workstations?
>
> Are there security papers which talk about use of this technology in
> government institutions?
>
>
>

It doesn't really matter. Why?

*If* they're on a LAN connected to the Internet, chances are, it's going
to power-on immediately after power off.

*If* they're on a LAN and it's not connected to the Internet, the
chances of powering up are lower, but it's going to happen.

*If* it doesn't power up from local activity and someone has physical
access to the LAN to cause LAN traffic, it will power up.

*If* someone has local access to the machine, they can power it up.

*If* you turn of "wake on LAN", well, duh, it won't.

*If* you hit the rear power switch on an ATX power supply, it won't
matter which position you have "Wake on LAN" switched to.

*If* you have a BIOS password set, and Wake on LAN enabled, traffic
won't matter, as the machine won't boot without the password being
entered.

Again, *If* someone has local access to the machine, they can reset the
BIOS password.

Basically, if you don't need the machine on 24/7, turn off "Wake on
LAN". 

-- 
Colonel Flagg
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