Re: HELP!!! Administrator deterioration SOLVED!!
At 1:45 PM -0400 4/18/2009, Anne Keller-Smith wrote: Hacking is only cool if you don't get caught by the IP admin. ROFLMAO! - Dan. -- - Psychoceramic Emeritus; South Jersey, USA, Earth --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
Re: HELP!!! Administrator deterioration SOLVED!!
Steve R wrote: At 9:17 PM -0500 4/13/09, Kris Tilford posted: On Apr 13, 2009, at 8:58 PM, DAN A CURRIE wrote: Oh, and put your OS X install disc(s) under lock and key. Good idea on the discs also ... she is a smart one!! It's not just your disc, it's ANY disc she can beg, borrow, or steal. In the long run, you probably can't secure this from her. For example, here are the instructions for resetting the admin password WITHOUT the disc: http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/ As soon as she reads this, you're done. Unless you set a firmware password, and then, she can open the case, pull the PRAM battery, and she's in. You'd need to physically secure the case. Even then, there's probably some way in, I just don't know the easy way, but I'd bet any smart high school kid with Macs does. My neighbour does work for a company (using PCs) that has disabled USB ports and the optical drive. (I don't know how.) (1.) Is it possible to do the same on OS X/Mac so that an admin pw is needed to allow access? (2.) Would that stop a DVD being used to reset the password? (3.) Would setting daughter's account to Simple Finder stop access? Setting a Open Firmware password lets you prohibit booting from anything but the designated drive. This prevents using the CD or USB to boot from. I think it also avoids the single user hack above. The only way around the OF firmware is to open the case. If it's a tower you can lock it. I don't know if there is any hardware out there to lock down an iMac though. -- Clark Martin Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
Re: HELP!!! Administrator deterioration SOLVED!!
On Apr 13, 2009, at 11:08 PM, Clark Martin wrote: Setting a Open Firmware password lets you prohibit booting from anything but the designated drive. This prevents using the CD or USB to boot from. I think it also avoids the single user hack above. The only way around the OF firmware is to open the case. If it's a tower you can lock it. I don't know if there is any hardware out there to lock down an iMac though. Fundamentally this is not a technical question at all. Remember the three rules of getting pwned (the rules are for servers, but apply equally to a home system): 1) If you let the bad guy have physical access to your computer, it's not your computer any more. 2) If you let the bad guy run programs on your computer, it's not your computer anymore. 3) If you let the bad guy convince you to run his programs on your computer, it's not your computer anymore. This is why the vast majority of hacking is inside jobs...rules 1 and 2 are already broken. Further lockdowns only provide an incentive to evade them for a determined hacker. This is actually an issue of discipline and trust completely separate from the computer. -- Bruce Johnson University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Information Technology Group Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
Re: HELP!!! Administrator deterioration SOLVED!!
Jim Scott wrote: On Apr 13, 2009, at 6:24 PM, DAN A CURRIE wrote: Hello All, What began as a simple Dashboard / Widgets question has rapidly deteriorated into a full blow catastrophe that I have 1) never heard of, 2) never encountered before (otherwise I could solve it myself) and 3) see no workable or work-around solution to. Frustration levels are rising! Dan II Boot from your OS X install disk, change all passwords to new ones (don't give root a password), and you're done. This time, use a password for your/administrator account that can't be guessed so easily. ^) -- Jim Oh, and put your OS X install disk(s) under lock and key. OUTSTANDING!! Thank you!!! I am in the process of changing them now and will create accounts for myself and her with a *10 digit* PW for me. Good idea on the disks also ... she is a smart one!! Dan II --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
Re: HELP!!! Administrator deterioration SOLVED!!
On Apr 13, 2009, at 8:58 PM, DAN A CURRIE wrote: Oh, and put your OS X install disc(s) under lock and key. Good idea on the discs also ... she is a smart one!! It's not just your disc, it's ANY disc she can beg, borrow, or steal. In the long run, you probably can't secure this from her. For example, here are the instructions for resetting the admin password WITHOUT the disc: http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/ As soon as she reads this, you're done. Unless you set a firmware password, and then, she can open the case, pull the PRAM battery, and she's in. You'd need to physically secure the case. Even then, there's probably some way in, I just don't know the easy way, but I'd bet any smart high school kid with Macs does. --~--~-~--~~~---~--~~ You received this message because you are subscribed Low End Mac's G3-5 List, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to g3-5-list-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~--~~~~--~~--~--~---
