🚀 go-pugleaf

[ response to all of the talk about what a security breach it is that
  someone who steals a machine can, given the right knowledge get
  access to the system's data ]

All of this discussion boils down to one simple truth - namely that
once a culprit has physical access to the machine, they can 
reset the ROM, get access to root, and get at the system's data.

Even if the system were structured in such a way that this were
impossible, (say a hardwired ROM password that was unchangeable), 
the culprit can always remove the SCSI drive and mount it up on 
a machine that he does control, thereby getting at the system's data.

I was just wondering if this 'fault' (and it's not necessarily a fault -
consider that for every thief that uses this process, probably hundreds
of folks legitimately forget their passwords and need these procedures)
could be alleviated by some sort of password lock built into the 
hardware of the drive itself - that is, the drive itself would not
become active, no matter what system it was attached to, unless it 
received a password at boot time.  The password would be hard-wired
into the drive (so you couldn't reset it by killing the battery), and
could be retrieved only by calling the drive manufacturer who would
give it away in the same manner that banks give out PIN numbers - they
would only mail it to the address on file.

The system would be set up to prompt for this at boot time, so that 
it couldn't be discovered by poking around the system.  I suppose that
this would work like the security code on my car radio - if the system
loses power, it needs an id code to be useful again.  

I realize that this would be a minor inconvenience, but considering that
most (many? I have no real data on this) people keep their machines
running continuously, it shouldn't pose too much of a problem - it also
doesn't seem like it'd be very difficult to implement.

This might not make sense for many sites, but for those who hold extremely
sensitive data, it could provide some peace of mind.

Just an idea,

matthew

-- 
matt stecker			|	This is my NeXT Computer
NeXT Campus Consultant,		|	There are many like it,
UNC School of Law		|	but this one is mine.