Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

X230-X280, X390 Series
Post Reply
Message
Author
PRAGUEGUY
Junior Member
Junior Member
Posts: 295
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:12 pm
Location: Prague, Czech Republic

How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#1 Post by PRAGUEGUY » Tue May 01, 2018 5:38 pm

Hi, I researched this forum and others, and would like to ask about two things.
1. How can I prevent simple windows password hacks?

2. How can I use the bios passwords, to prevent simple booting of my PC from other media, and reading te files? I would like to keep the option of booting form rescue usb sticks when I am doing it, maybe with a password.
I have win 7 so I think I do not have bitlocker, and I do not want to encrypt the entire system. I was told that then recovery is almost impossible after a crash.
I looked at the bios, but there are many passwords there and I do not want to lock myself out of the computer...thanks all for advice.

My kid had my pc, wanted to avoid parental control, and his friend very easily found out my own accounts password, and got rid of the entire parental control...got me thinking. Thanks

PRAGUEGUY
Junior Member
Junior Member
Posts: 295
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:12 pm
Location: Prague, Czech Republic

security features, Trusted module, HDD password

#2 Post by PRAGUEGUY » Sat May 12, 2018 4:38 am

Hi everybody...no one interested in the security features? will be glad if anybody pointed me to some thread where Trusted Platform, security chip and other security features are discussed. Thanks to all.
I managed to activate power on password and HDD password.

I took out my system disc and connected to another PC... it does work. The other PC did not even register there was a HDD around.

Cigarguy
ThinkPadder
ThinkPadder
Posts: 1756
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:08 pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#3 Post by Cigarguy » Sat May 12, 2018 4:56 am

I don't bother with security on my everyday work laptop and a lot of my other machines. No password, none, nada, nill. Even my Linux machines have the bare minimum security (i.e. automatic login, no password required).

I have 1 desktop and 1 laptop that is in a physically secure (within reason) room and limited connection to the internet. These 2 and only these 2 machines are my critical, important, financial, need to be secure stuff done. These machines don't have any games, crap or non-essential garbage on them and no one have physical access to them unless I'm there with them. Beyond that everything else is open. Kids and sibling get their own machines in which they can do whatever they want with them.

Instead of putting on the biggest lock maybe don't let the kids have access to the steps leading to the house.

RealBlackStuff
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 23809
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
Location: Loch Garman, Éire

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat May 12, 2018 7:07 am

Lock that laptop away when you leave the house/room, and teach your kid manners.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

jaspen-meyer
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 837
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:21 pm
Location: Pardubice, Czech Republic
Contact:

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#5 Post by jaspen-meyer » Tue May 15, 2018 1:49 am

If someone wants to hack into your machine and has physical access to the machine, you are going to get hacked. Likewise if they have access to your wifi router. Approach the problem like a parent, and not like a system administrator.
T420 i7 3612QM seabios; T420 i7 3630QM; T400 Q9100 seabios; T61 P9600; T60 libreboot; x62; x60s libreboot, led; x24 xiphmont led

Saucey
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 989
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: San Diego, California
Contact:

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#6 Post by Saucey » Tue May 15, 2018 8:29 pm

Can't you protect your laptop from booting from removable media? If it was me, I would add an admin password onto the bios and prompt it if it were needing to boot from USB/CD.
I don't know what that kid did, but hiren's boot CD or WIndows Password removal probably did it, but those require F12 to be pressed during boot.

Unsure if there is some magic that can be done to remove parental features from the locked down user, havent done that stuff.
Coffee, ThinkPads & Nikon Fan.

Current: PixelBook & Precision 7730
Old Favorites: A31p, T43p, T430s

Juhzuri
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:35 pm
Location: Greenwood, SC

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#7 Post by Juhzuri » Thu Dec 06, 2018 3:40 pm

As a point of reference if someone else is searching around, you can lock down access to your bios by requiring a password. Then you can change the boot order and remove all entries from the boot menu except your main boot drive. ( ! is the key to remove a selected entry in the boot order menu) Hard drive encryption "never hurts" in my opinion. I'd also turn on secure boot as a "just in case" thing. Windows should play nice with it easily. Linux requires more work but I use it.
T540p ( Work | i7 | 16GB RAM | 256GB 850 PRO & 512GB 850 EVO | 7260NGW & GOBI 5000 | Trackpad Swap | Ultradock ), x230 ( Personal | i7 | 8GB RAM | 256GB 840 EVO | Ultrabase )

dr_st
Admin
Admin
Posts: 9691
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:20 am
Location: Israel

Re: How to protect x230 from unwanted booting

#8 Post by dr_st » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:05 am

If you set a password on your main boot drive, you still cannot boot from rescue media, and even if you do, you cannot access the data on the drive without unlocking it with the password first.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “ThinkPad X230-X280 / X390 Series”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 32 guests