HDD Master and User Password

Question

Howdy folks - just picked up a Hitachi 7K200 with Bulk Data Encryption (P/N: 0A53070), and am looking to set the master and user passwords on my Dell Latitude D820 (A07 BIOS).

From what I can tell, the Dell BIOS only allows you to set one password for the drive, and doesn't offer any way to set the second password, or change the security setting from "High" to "Maximum" (as in a Thinkpad BIOS, or any other standard, recent desktop BIOS).

After scanning the forum (and the web), it looks like the master password is set to some predetermined value based on the system service tag, so you can a.)- call Dell at a later date and prove ownership of the machine or b.)- download a reverse-engineered tool to generate this passphrase.

Given the apparent backdoor here, anyone know a way to set BOTH HDD passwords on a recent Dell BIOS?

Thanks in advance -

C3PO5 · Answer

Hi YES call Dell that is the { {only way you can get it}}!! If you can not find the first owner you are out of luck!! Good Luck Message Edited by C3PO5 on 10-23-2007 12:01 AM

ejn63 · Answer

I don't think that's the issue. If the question is, can you set your own master password on a Dell, the answer is no. You can set the hard drive password, but the master password is stored at manufacture - you cannot alter it.

arlut · Answer

Right - while I probably can set the master and user password with hdparm in Linux, I'd rather not have to do that if we're deploying these new 7K200 drives organization-wide on our Dell notebooks (and there's a risk that with hdparm's security options, I'll brick this new 7K200 drive and have to send it back to Hitachi before I can conduct further testing).

Dell - if you're listening, a pre-generated, manufacturer backdoor "Master HDD Password" isn't compatible with most new organizationl requirements to protect sensitive data on mobile systems!

Message Edited by arlut on 10-23-2007 09:02 AM

DELL-Chris B · Answer

arlut wrote: Dell - if you're listening, a pre-generated, manufacturer backdoor "Master HDD Password" isn't compatible with most new organizationl requirements to protect sensitive data on mobile systems

Thanks for the input arlut, and we are listening.

I might suggest posting this idea on Dell IdeaStorm http://www.dellideastorm.com. If other people get behind the idea, we may see it implemented.

Regards,

arlut · Answer

Done. http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/74584/Allow_user_to_disable_automatic_Dell_backdoor_hard_drive_password Message Edited by arlut on 10-24-2007 01:10 PM

mdeddie · Answer

dammit, Dammit, DAMMIT!!!!!!!   I just spent $8k on an XMS m1730 and SPECIFICALLY asked if DELL supported ATA security.   But now I learn that Dell 'keeps' the system password!!!  So Dell can give the password to anyone at any time?!?!   That totally defeats the purpose of encryption security.  Whoever the is who made that decision at Dell should be FIRED!   I'm voting with my wallet and returning this useless $8k piece of 'big brother' junk and getting a Levano

arlut · Answer

Here's the scoop:

- Dell allows for a 32 character user password
- Dell sets an 8 character master backdoor password

- Lenovo allows for a 12 character user password
- Lenovo allows for a 12 character master password

Setting a 12 character password on a Lenovo laptop causes the drive NOT to work in a Dell, but setting both the user and master password to EIGHT characters on a Lenovo WILL work in the Dell.

So the temporary fix is to set your user+master password to an 8 character string on a Lenovo laptop, and then put the disk back in the Dell.

8 character passwords are a bit weak, but that's all we have until Dell gets rid of the backdoor 8 character password.

Or buy a Lenovo laptop.

mdeddie · Answer

Thanks for the info.  I know you probably had to spend *a lot* of detective time to uncover these facts.    Your work has save me a lot time, and more importantly, a lot of risk from a false sense of security having huge amounts of medical data protected for HIPAA compliance, etc.   This is extraordinary (in a bad way)...

jake898 · Answer

I'm someone who's been using BIOS passwords on my Dell laptops for years, but only tonight decided to implement an additional layer of protection: the HDD password. I was bummed out that I wasn't given an option to set a HDD Master Password, but after performing the following surprising tests, it may not be a big deal.

For ease of use, I decided to set my HDD User Password (whatever it's called) to be the same as my BIOS User Password (again, whatever it's called - not the Admin pw). I figured that it would be a tad easier to boot my laptop if I didn't have to enter 2 different passwords each time.

Then, I proceeded to test, via several cold boots, entering different combinations of passwords to get past the 2 "white-ish" Dell password screen prompts that need to be passed before the OS would begin to load. Here are my results:

BIOS: password prompt for (either) BIOS password
HDD: password prompt for HDD password

BIOS Admin Password: AAAAAAAA
BIOS User Password: UUUUUUUU
HDD User Password: UUUUUUUU

   Test: #1
   BIOS: (I forgot which password I used; probably AAAAAAAA)
    HDD: AAAAAAAA
Result: password accepted; boot proceeded
Comment: What?!?!? I entered the BIOS Admin Password at the HDD Password prompt and it proceeded! So, does that mean the HDD Master Password is set to the BIOS Admin Password?!?!?

   Test: #2
   BIOS: UUUUUUUU
    HDD: (not asked at all)
Result: boot proceeded
Comment: Strange. I wasn't asked for the HDD password at all because I had set the HDD password to be the same as the BIOS User Password. Ok, a nice feature to save me a step. I think I can feel confident that if my HDD was moved to another system, it would prompt the user for a password on boot.

   Test: #3
   BIOS: AAAAAAAA
    HDD: (entered gibberish)
Result: HDD password failed; prompted to retry
Comment: Just what I would expect. (Ok, things are finally behaving predictably!)

   Test: #4 [done via pw retry from Test #3]
   BIOS: AAAAAAAA
    HDD: UUUUUUUU
Result: password accepted; boot proceeded
Comment: Ok, finally got a chance to enter the regular ol' HDD password that I original set. Result was just what I would expect - regular boot.

   Test: #5
   BIOS: AAAAAAAA
    HDD: AAAAAAAA
Result: password accepted; boot proceeded
Comment: Wow - confirmation here of Test#1.

   Test: #6
   BIOS: UUUUUUUU
    HDD: (not asked at all)
Result: boot proceeded
Comment: Just re-did Test#2.

It's getting late, so I won't bother to comment further. You can see how I was surprised.

Any test replications from the audience?

itzluxman · Answer

how can i call dell .?

i am in nepal and i bought laptop from a resseller here ,,..

i have the bill, tax invoice ..eth the reseller gave to me .. but what a shame ,,i cant find my country in the option when i was signing up an account .. really looking foreward ,,for a fast reply

ejn63 · Answer

If your seller can't come up with or clear the password, return the system for a refund.

Storage, Drives & Media

HDD Master and User Password

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