Summary of Software Security Features
The table below lists the software security features and describes what protection each offers. In
general, to enable or set the features listed here, you must run the BIOS Setup and go to the Security
Subsystem Group, menu. The table also refers to the Setup utility.
Feature
Secure mode
Disable writing to
diskette
Set a time out
period so that
keyboard and
mouse input are not
accepted.
Also, screen can be
blanked, and writes
to diskette can be
inhibited
Control access to
using the BIOS
Setup: set
supervisor
password
Software Security Features
Description
How to enter secure mode:
•
Setting and enabling passwords automatically places the system in
secure mode.
•
If you set a hot-key combination (through Setup), you can secure the
system simply by pressing the key combination. This means you do not
have to wait for the inactivity time-out period.
When the system is in secure mode:
The server can boot and run the operating system, but mouse and
keyboard input is not accepted until the user password is entered.
At boot time, if a CD is detected in the CD-ROM drive or a diskette in
drive A, the system prompts for a password. When the password is
entered, the server boots from CD or diskette and disables the secure
mode.
If there is no CD in the CD-ROM drive or diskette in drive A, the server
boots from drive C and automatically goes into secure mode. All enabled
secure mode features go into effect at boot time.
To leave secure mode: Enter the correct password(s).
In secure mode, the server will not boot from or write to a diskette unless
a password is entered.
To write protect access to diskette whether the server is in secure mode
or not, use the Setup main menu, Floppy Options, and specify Floppy
Access as read only.
Specify and enable an inactivity time out period of from 1 to 120 minutes.
If no keyboard or mouse action occurs for the specified period, attempted
keyboard and mouse input will not be accepted.
The monitor display will go blank, and the diskette drive will be write
protected (if these security features are enabled through Setup).
To resume activity: Enter the correct password(s).
To control access to setting or changing the system configuration, set a
supervisor password and enable it through Setup.
If both the supervisor and user passwords are enabled, either can be
used to boot the server or enable the keyboard and/or mouse, but only
the supervisor password will allow Setup to be changed.
To disable a password, change it to a blank entry in the Change
Password menu of the Supervisor Password Option menu found in the
Security Subsystem Group.
To clear the password if you cannot access Setup, change the Clear
Password jumper (see Chapter 4).
General Description
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