Re: Re: Linux Single Mode

[Sam Allgood <turner_redhat springmail com>]

So have a boot floppy containing sfdisk, then have the init script on the floppy call sfdisk with the appropriate destructive command line argument?

On Thu, 31 Aug 2000 11:57:38 -0500 Tyler Nally <tnally iquest net> wrote:

"James Q. Stansfield" wrote:

>         Let's take the hypothetical situation: I've an evil person bent on cracking
> into any system I find. I happen upon a unattended server room. I figure I
> have five minutes. I have nothing on my person but a pack of Altoids mints.

If one is evil and is really bent on doing damage to a machine, without
using a hammer or other large hand-held tool used to contruct houses and/or
buildings, if you've got access to a machine a linux boot disk and a matching
install cd-rom added to your Altoids, you can easily boot into an install
mode, and delete any partitions on the HD, write the partition table back
out, and leave the machine helpless.

Right now, I know of no MS file system that can't be toasted by a linux
"fdisk" or "cfdisk".  You have to boot into linux or into linux install
first ... it's nonetheless doable.

If you wanna call 'im a *good hacker* (probably "efficient" is a better term),
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that such software is packed and carried
anyway by the good hacker.

The key to security is starting with preventing physical access to the 
machine.  Once that is compromised and in the hands of some nare-do-well
type geek, a machine left alone long enough could be rebooted, undergo an
installation of another OS, and assume a completely different identity in
a rather short period of time.  It might not be convenient, but it's with
enough damage that the hacker gets his/her jollies.

Tyler
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| Tyler Nally                Sr Programmer Analyst          phone 317.817.7077 |
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