A Computer security question

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-05-17 11:36pm

Is there a password you can set at the BIOS that makes it so that unless you input that password the computer won't boot any further than that BIOS screen?

Datana · Post by **Datana** » 2003-05-17 11:47pm

There usually is, but it depends on the BIOS; you'll have to check the BIOS menus yourself to find out for the one you have. In addition, the password can be easily reset in most of these cases by opening up the case and switching a jumper or flipping a switch. In other words, unless your case is sealed and locked down or the would-be hacker doesn't know what he's doing, it's not much protection.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-05-18 12:31am

I'm pretty sure that if you set it, they won't be able to access BIOS until they get the password right.

As Datana mentioned, there are ways of manually resetting it. There should be a setting to make it so that you only need a password to access BIOS and not to boot up.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2003-05-18 12:34am

Of course if he/she has physical access to the computer, security is moot anyways unless you encrypt data.

Also, there are generic passwords that will work w/ a bios bypassing the set one.