Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!ukma!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!thor!david From: david@thor.INS.CWRU.Edu (David Nerenberg) Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d Subject: Re: IBM Protection Software Message-ID: <1991Jan16.142050.2057@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> Date: 16 Jan 91 14:20:50 GMT References: <1990Dec21.094412.5704@ericsson.se> <6865@suned1.Nswses.Navy.MIL> Sender: news@usenet.ins.cwru.edu Reply-To: david@po.CWRU.Edu Organization: Case Western Reserve Univ. Cleveland, Ohio, (USA) Lines: 40 Nntp-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu > >So dick dastardly comes in keyboard in one hand and dos disk in the other, >Boots your machine from his dos disk and types FORMAT C: > >Get some physical security. A real keyswitch, and some way to keep the bloody >thing on the desk would be good. >L. OK, I am not sure this is the place or not, but since you bring up some form of physical security... I have a card in my PC that is a password/cop card. It protects the machine with a password, at boot up. This is regardless of how the machine is desired to be booted, after the RAM self tests, you are prompted for a password. The only way to not enter the password would be to pull the computer apart and remove the card. In my machne, I have hex type screws instead of regular screws, but, better than that, I have security cables. The way the cable is installed, there is no way to get at the screws without the key to the lock of the security cable. Back to the card... It also has this cop feature. If my computer is ever stolen, it will usually end up in some warehouse somewhere, without monitor and keyboard attached. This is when most computers are recovered, but how are the police to determine who this computer belonged to when they are faced with a warehouse full? This is the cop feature. I have registered my computer, and when you power up the computer without the keyboard attached, a series of tones is played. This is played over an ordinary telephone to the main office, where a computer decodes the tones as a unique serial number! I think this is neat. Well, if anyone is interested, I can put you in touch with the people who designed, built, and programmed the card. I believe it is also available without the cop feature, ie just a password card, just like real IBM and some BIOS password protections. Dave -- david@po.cwru.edu * Eagle * David Nerenberg 73107,177 Compuserve * Computers * Information Network Services NY: H-516-751-6344 * Electronics * Case Western Reserve University W-516-751-8111 * Sound & Stage * W-216-368-2982 H-216-754-2063