austin@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Richard Austin) (06/06/90)
I am considering buying DiskLock, a hard disk security program from Fifth Generation Systems (the Suitcase II people). It sounds like exactly the sort of utility that I need, but I have a couple of questions: 1) The entire hard disk can be password-protected. This is probably a silly question, but I assume that someone could still boot the Mac from a floppy without knowing the password, right? He just couldn't mount the hard disk. 2) How does DiskLock handle remote access? For example, I believe that I can transfer files to and from my Mac via ftp if I leave the NCSA Telnet application running (and the Mac on, of course). If I were to leave my Mac on when I left for the evening, and DiskLock activated itself after the specified period of inactivity, would I still be able to connect to my Mac via ftp? Telnet already has a way to require a password, so I'm not worried about security. Would DiskLock interfere, and if it did, would there be a way for me to give it my password? I'm also interested in general remarks about DiskLock, good or bad. Please reply by email, & I'll post if there's interest. Thanks! Richard Austin austin@zip.eecs.umich.edu -- Richard Austin austin@zip.eecs.umich.edu
svc@well.sf.ca.us (Leonard Rosenthol) (06/07/90)
In article <2529@zipeecs.umich.edu> austin@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Richard Austin) writes: >I have a couple of questions: > >1) The entire hard disk can be password-protected. This is probably a > silly question, but I assume that someone could still boot the Mac from > a floppy without knowing the password, right? He just couldn't mount > the hard disk. > Correct. The Mac is still usuable via floppy or other HD's that might be mounted, but the DiskLocked drive would be unaccessable w/o the correct password. >2) How does DiskLock handle remote access? For example, I believe that > I can transfer files to and from my Mac via ftp if I leave the NCSA > Telnet application running (and the Mac on, of course). If I were to > leave my Mac on when I left for the evening, and DiskLock activated > itself after the specified period of inactivity, would I still be able > to connect to my Mac via ftp? Telnet already has a way to require a > password, so I'm not worried about security. Would DiskLock interfere, > and if it did, would there be a way for me to give it my password? > When DiskLock engages during usages either automagically from the DA timeout value or a force manual lock, DiskLock's first task (for the most part) is to unmount the disk and 'relock' it so that if someone where to try to reboot or insert a floppy or whatever, the drive would still be locked. As such, since the drive is unmounted, you could FTP in, but the drive would not be listed in the drive list since it would not be there, and there would be no way to unlock it remotely. Allowing such would be a neat thing, but impossible to implement. >I'm also interested in general remarks about DiskLock, good or bad. Please >reply by email, & I'll post if there's interest. > I have been using it for a while now (beta tested the original version) and I have had no problems with it. It is easy to setup and use and does not get in the way of my work which is important. Although it is simple it what it offers (though VERY secure!), that is what makes it so good. I don't want/ need all the EXTRA stuff that Empower/AME, etc. offers. I just want my HD unusuable by everyoone else... -- +--------------------------------------------------+ Leonard Rosenthol | GEnie : MACgician Lazerware, inc. | MacNet: MACgician UUCP: svc@well.UUCP | ALink : D0025
austing@Apple.COM (Glenn L. Austin) (06/09/90)
I also use DiskLock, and am extremely pleased with it. In fact, a DiskLocked disk can't even be accessed by updating the driver, unlike some other security software. DiskLock is EXTREMELY stable, and according to the author, 32-bit clean! -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Glenn L. Austin | "Turn too soon, run out of room, | | Auto Racing Enthusiast and | Turn too late, much better fate" | | Communications Toolbox Hacker | - Jim Russell Racing School Instructors | | Apple Computer, Inc. | "Drive slower, race faster" - D. Waltrip | | Internet: austing@apple.com |-------------------------------------------| | AppleLink: AUSTIN.GLENN | All opinions stated above are mine -- | | Bellnet: (408) 974-0876 | who else would want them? | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------