Messages in this thread | | | From | Jonas Diemer <> | Subject | security issue: hard disk lock | Date | Mon, 4 Apr 2005 19:42:10 +0200 |
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Hello!
I don't know if you guys already know, there is a possible security risk with all modern desktop-pcs and ata hard drives. In short:
Modern ata drives can be locked by password. This lock could be set by a malicous software. This security feature can be frozen, so no programs can set a lock until the next reboot. Ususally, the BIOS should take care of locking the security feature, but most desktop BIOSes (unlike laptop BIOSes) fail to do so. Once a lock is set and the password is unknown, the drive is trash.
See http://www.heise.de/ct/english/05/08/172/ for more details.
In the above article, a patched hdparm is used to freeze the drive's security features. This can be used during boot to prevent programs from setting a password. However, a malicous program could infect the computer and install itself in the boot sequence prior to the execution of hdparm...
I figured there could be a kernel compiled-in option that will make the kernel lock all drives found during bootup. then, a malicous program would need to install a different kernel in order to harm the drive, which would be much more secure.
What do you think of this?
Regards, Jonas
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