This message is from the T13 list server.
Pat
Currently the ATA through SCSI community is not affected because
there is no real translation from SCSI to ATA security. This could be an
issue in the future when ATA pass-though is implemented.
I think that we should also note that the drive need not be
returned. Security Erase is used to clear the password along with the data.
This does give the user a way to retrieve the drive if it gets passworded.
-------------------------------------------------
Curtis E. Stevens
20511 Lake Forest Drive #C-214D
Lake Forest, California 92630
Phone: 949-672-7933
Cell: 949-307-5050
E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pat
LaVarre
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 7:26 AM
To: forum at t13.org
Subject: Re: [t13] Back to the main problem. Please read
This message is from the T13 list server.
Do we have a concise, dispassionate technical nutshell of the causes of
the main problem?
Can we substitute a nutshell more accurate than the Three bullets:
///
1) ATA since 1997 defines passwords that break write, read, and erase,
by design. If the erase password is set, then you have to know or
discover it, else you can't start over.
2) ATA lets BIOS choose to disable this feature til next power cycle or
pin 1 reset of the ATA drive, by "freezing" out changes.
3) Significantly many BIOS do not disable this feature, for the boot
drive and/or other connected drives, in particular the ATA thru SCSI
drive population that many BIOS do not even see as connected.
///
Are those facts, wholly true, slanderous rumour, or something in
between? Can we substitute a better nutshell, rather than tearing into
my words line by line? I make that unusual request because I'm
guessing we agree, we won't reach closure quickly if we digress into
scenarios of who will be hurt most by what kind of attack, or a
discussion of how appalling is my deep ignorance of the ATA standard
and PC motherboard architecture.
Curiously yours, Pat LaVarre
