You can do this on Linux and FreeBSD as well.
The way to not let it happen is to not allow physical access to your
box (a lockable case so the power switch isn't reachable w/o a key)
and to change the default ctrl-alt-del behavior in /etc/inittab so
that only root can reboot the system with an actual 'shutdown' command.
-Rob
> On 20010521.1056, Garl R. Grigsby said ...
>
> I have a one comment and one question.
>
> First for my comment. I have been following this thread with interest
> and have always considered trying to install and run OpenBSD and
> FreeBSD. This latest "discussion" has prompted me to look into OpenBSD
> further. As I was pursuing their online FAQ I came across the following.
> Now for a OS thats number one claim to fame is security, this scares me.
>
> (Source http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq8.html#8.3)
>
> 8.3 - I forgot my root password, what do I do now?
>
> A few steps to recovery
>
> 1.Boot into single user mode. For i386 arch type boot -s at the boot
> prompt.
> 2.mount the drives.
> bsd# fsck -p / && mount -u /
> 3.If /usr is not the same partition that / is (and it shouldn't be)
> then you will need to mount it, also
> bsd# fsck -p /usr && mount /usr
> 4.run passwd(1)
> 5.boot into multiuser mode.. and remember your password!
>
> Seems awful easy to bypass security. I know that the commerical unix OS'
> (Solaris, HP-UX, IRIX, AIX) that I deal with all require that you enter
> the root password to enter single usermode.
>
> Now for my question. What file system does OpenBSD run? Do they have a
> Journaling FS? Does OpenBSD require you to deal with Disk Labels Like
> Solaris?
>
> Thanks
> Garl
>
> --
> =============================================================================
>
> Garl R. Grigsby
> Senior Customer Applications Engineering - Analysis Team
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Structural Dynamics Research Corporation Phone: (800)242-7372
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>
>
>
