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List:       linux-thinkpad
Subject:    Re: [ltp] Re: Other uses for the fingerprint reader?
From:       Marius Gedminas <mgedmin () b4net ! lt>
Date:       2008-04-28 19:03:47
Message-ID: 20080428190347.GA19833 () platonas
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On Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 04:19:52PM +0200, Dom wrote:
> Marius Gedminas wrote:
>> (For practical purposes it would be much easier to power off the laptop
>> and then choose rescue mode in the Grub menu.  That's free passwordless
>> root shell for anyone with physical access to the laptop.  I don't leave
>> my laptop unattended.)
>>
> Marius, you couldn't do that on my ThinkPad ;)
> Since I have a Power-on password.
> Just tried it and I had to swipe my finger before accessing rescue mode  
> with the blue ThinkVantage button.
> And to get to the grub menu I always have to swipe my finger / enter  
> power-on password.

That's nice.  I hadn't though the BIOS could accept a finger swipe.

> Admittedly, only recently I found out how ineffective this way of  
> protection is though. I don't know who can make this right (if possible)  
> and who to contact, but power-on password is *not* required when  
> resuming from suspend-to-ram, and I've only recently started using  
> suspend-to-ram and I like it so power-on password is kind of pointless  
> now... :(

Gnome-power-manager locks the screensaver when I suspend the laptop, so
I always have to type my password/swipe my finger on resume.

Combine that with your power-on password, and a thief will have to make
a fake finger out of whatever they're made of (or rip out the HDD).

Marius Gedminas
-- 
Shift happens.
		-- Doppler

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