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Unreasonable Limit on Open Firmware Passwords

Posted by pudge on from the oh-yeah-there-are-26-letters-not-25 dept.

Lawrence Person writes "Well, this has to be one of the stranger bugs in recent memory: 'If you used Open Firmware Password utility to create a password that contains the capital letter "U", your password will not be recognized during the startup process.' Straight from the mothership. I'm guessing that not too many people use Open Firmware Passwords, but it's a very nasty bug for those who do. Props to the always great As The Apple Turns for pointing this one out."

6 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Care to speculate? by setzman · · Score: 5, Informative
    Could it be the following (copied from here),
    When turned on, Open Firmware Password Protection:

    * blocks the ability to use the "C" key to start up from a CD-ROM disc.
    * blocks the ability to use the "N" key to start up from a NetBoot server.
    * blocks the ability to use the "T" key to start up in Target Disk Mode (on computers that offer this feature).
    * blocks the ability to start up in Verbose mode by pressing the Command-V key combination during startup.
    * block the ability to start up a system in Single-user mode by depressing the Command-S key combination during startup.
    * blocks a reset of Parameter RAM (PRAM) by pressing the Command-Option-P-R key combination during startup.
    * requires the password to use the Startup Manager, accessed by pressing the Option key during startup (Figure 1).
    * requires the password to enter commands after starting up in Open Firmware, which is done by depressing the Command-Option-O-F key combination during startup.

    Doesn't mention the U key in the features list, but I'm going speculate that something in the keyboard handling code is buggy...
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    C:\>
  2. The solution would be by coolmacdude · · Score: 3, Informative

    to just reset the password. Easily accomplished.

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    -You may license this sig for only $6.99.
    1. Re:The solution would be by coolmacdude · · Score: 4, Informative

      Why was my post modded overrated? I'm serious. All you have to do is take out or install new ram, (basically just change the amount of ram in the machine) and then reset the PRAM 3 times. That clears the Open Firmware password.

      --

      -You may license this sig for only $6.99.
    2. Re:The solution would be by shawnce · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well you can use strong encryption to protect critical data even in the case of lost physical security (which you are correct about).

      In Mac OS X 10.3 you will have the ability to have your home folder encrypted (using AES-128). Other OSes have similar features. ...of course given time even strong encryption will fail you.

  3. Re:Speculation by Mikey-San · · Score: 4, Informative

    Ask and ye shall receive.

    http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordpro te ction.php

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    Mikey-San
    Karma: +Eleventy billion (mostly affected by watching Celebrity Jeopardy)
  4. Re:Care to speculate? by colinleroy · · Score: 2, Informative

    U is ASCII 0x55 (85 dec), which is 01010101 in binary. Maybe.

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    blah