2009/8/25 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>
Technically speaking, its easier to hack into a linux box with
physical access to the machine. Hdd and bios passwd are os
independent.

Easy?Not really...with technical ideas, somehow possible.
Think of Win XP and the blank Administrator password after a default install.Has been
like that for long till lately - boot in safe mode and you have the whole house to yourself!
Armed with the right cds and know-how, you will get into a win computer within minutes.
Just google around.Bios and Hardware based passwords still retain their capability to limit
any common reboot intruder when carefully specified.

Guyz in security can add up to this.

Chris_w.
dabnix@gmail.com
 

 


On 8/25/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 1:45 PM, Areba Collins
> <arebacollins@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> After reading this thread,
>>
>> <shudder>
>> linux is no more secure than whine-dows at the default install.
>> </shudder>
>>
>
>
> Hi Areba,
>
> That's a very wrong conclusion.
> The issues under this thread assumed that the 'intruder' has physical access
> to system to the point of rebooting it.
>
> Your statement above simply implies that a person carrying a Gun is no more
> secure than a person carrying a Rungu
> just because all of them can be snatched away.Quite a wrong assumption here.
>
> Chris_w.
> dabnix@gmail.com
>
>
>>
>> On 8/24/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Yeah!! @ Lawi but that's why there exists Boot Loader Passwords (like
>> Grub
>> > passwords) and Computer BIOS passwords.
>> >
>> > Use them for maximum security.Without them anyone can access any *NIX
>> > Systems (Windows too) provided they can reboot it!!!Max it further by
>> > encrypting the data just in case somebody snatched the drive(s)
>> > .Donno how many around have time for all these...
>> >
>> > Chris_w.
>> > dabnix@gmail.com
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > 2009/8/24 Alex Ngatia <alex.ngatia@gmail.com>
>> >
>> >> @Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix
>> >> machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to
>> >> it?
>> >>
>> >> 2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>
>> >>
>> >> Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a
>> >>> problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was broken.
>> >>> Dependency problem ... it was not funny
>> >>>
>> >>> On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>> > Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root
>> >>> passwd
>> >>> > for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them).
>> >>> > Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur
>> >>> > username.
>> >>> Ok
>> >>> > easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see
>> the
>> >>> users
>> >>> > ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see
>> fit.
>> >>> But
>> >>> > as warned remember you are full root.
>> >>> > Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you
>> >>> > administer
>> >>> all
>> >>> > servers.
>> >>> > Cheerz
>> >>> > Themburu
>> >>> >
>> >>> > 2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>
>> >>> >
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com>
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >>> 1: Turn your computer on.
>> >>> >>> 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt.
>> >>> >>> 3. Press e for edit.
>> >>> >>> 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e
>> >>> >>> 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash
>> >>> >>> 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system.
>> >>> >>> 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.*
>> >>> >>> *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if
>> >>> >>> not
>> >>> >>> careful!
>> >>> >>> 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password.
>> >>> >>> 9. Type in reboot.
>> >>> >>> MOST IMPORTANTLY
>> >>> >>> 10. Try not to forget your password again
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> So long, but more like what we have on *BSD.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> --
>> >>> >> Best regards,
>> >>> >> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>> >>> >> Nairobi,KE
>> >>> >> +254733744121/+254722743223
>> >>> >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
>> >>> >> "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!."
>> >>> >> -- Lucky Dube
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >>> >>
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > --
>> >>> > Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new
>> untried.
>> >>> >
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>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Regards,
>> >>
>> >> Alex
>> >>
>> >> If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the water
>> bill
>> >> is higher too
>> >>
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>> >>
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> Its Possible!
>> http://www.itspossible.afraha.com
>>
>> Collins Areba Omwoyo
>> +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758
>> arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com
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>
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