Re: Root password change

[gboyce <gboyce () badbelly com>]

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006, Valdis.Kletnieks () vt edu wrote:

> On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 09:21:13 EST, Michael Holstein said:
> > > Trivial to defeat.  Just boot in to single user mode with these kernel
> > > options:
> > >         single init=/bin/bash
> >
> > Again .. only due to initial misconfiguration.
> >
> > Nobody should allow alternate switches to be passed to the kernel at
> > boot .. either by password-protecting the bootloader, or via firmware
> > (as with OpenBoot).
>
> Of course, if you're that paranoid, you *did* configure whatever the machine
> uses for a BIOS to only boot off the intended hard drive, right? ;)

In which case the person needs to remove the hard drive, and put it into a 
different system for the modifications (or mirroring).

For the most part, if an attacker has physical access to the hardware 
itself, you just lose.

--
Greg

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