Clearing passwords
If you forget your password, you cannot access the workstation. See the section on resetting the
password jumper for instructions on clearing passwords.
DriveLock
WARNING! Enabling DriveLock can render a hard drive permanently inaccessible if the
master password is lost or forgotten. No method exists to recover the password or access the
data.
DriveLock is an industry-standard security feature that prevents unauthorized access to the data on an
ATA hard drive. DriveLock has been implemented as an extension to Computer Setup. It is only available
when hard drives that support the ATA Security command set are detected.
DriveLock is intended for HP customers for whom data security is the paramount concern. For such
customers, the cost of the hard drive and the loss of the data stored on it is inconsequential when
compared with the damage that could result from unauthorized access to its contents.
In order to balance this level of security with the practical need to accommodate a forgotten password,
the HP implementation of DriveLock employs a two-password security scheme. One password is
intended to be set and used by a system administrator while the other is typically set and used by the
end-user. There is no "back-door" that can be used to unlock the drive if both passwords are lost.
Therefore, DriveLock is most safely used when the data contained on the hard drive is replicated on a
corporate information system or is regularly backed up. In the event that both DriveLock passwords are
lost, the hard drive is rendered unusable. For users who do not fit the previously defined customer profile,
this may be an unacceptable risk. For users who do fit the customer profile, it may be a tolerable risk
given the nature of the data stored on the hard drive.
DriveLock applications
The most practical use of the DriveLock security feature is in a corporate environment. The system
administrator would be responsible for configuring the hard drive which would involve, among other
things, setting the DriveLock master password and a temporary user password. In the event that the
user forgets the user password or the equipment is passed on to another employee, the master
password can always be used to reset the user password and regain access to the hard drive.
HP recommends that corporate system administrators who choose to enable DriveLock also establish
a corporate policy for setting and maintaining master passwords. This should be done to prevent a
situation where an employee intentionally or unintentionally sets both DriveLock passwords before
leaving the company. In such a scenario, the hard drive would be rendered unusable and require
replacement. Likewise, by not setting a master password, system administrators may find themselves
locked out of a hard drive and unable to perform routine checks for unauthorized software, other asset
control functions, and support.
For users with less stringent security requirements, HP does not recommend enabling DriveLock. Users
in this category include personal users or users who do not maintain sensitive data on their hard drives
as a common practice. For these users, the potential loss of a hard drive resulting from forgetting both
passwords is much greater than the value of the data DriveLock has been designed to protect.
Access to Computer Setup and DriveLock can be restricted through the Setup password. By specifying
a Setup password and not giving it to end users, system administrators are able to restrict users from
enabling DriveLock.
46 Chapter 3 System management ENWW
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