HP Xw4600 HP xw4600 Workstation - Service and Technical Reference Guide - Page 56

DriveLock uses 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 (F10) functions. It is only available when hard drives that support the ATA security command set are detected. On HP workstations, it is not available when the SATA emulation mode is RAID+AHCI or RAID. DriveLock is intended for HP customers for whom data security is a paramount concern. For such customers, the cost of a hard drive and the loss of the data stored on it is inconsequential when compared to the damage that could result from unauthorized access to its contents. In order to balance this level of security with the practical need to address the issue of 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 this 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 involves 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 is rendered unusable and requires replacement. Likewise, by not setting a master password, system administrators might 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 (F10) 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. Using DriveLock When one or more hard drives that support the ATA security command set are detected, the DriveLock option appears under the Security menu in Computer Setup (F10). You are presented with options to set the master password and to enable DriveLock. A user password must be provided to enable DriveLock. Since the initial configuration of DriveLock is typically performed by a system administrator, a master password should be set first. HP encourages system administrators to set a master password whether they plan to enable DriveLock or not. This gives the administrator the ability to modify DriveLock settings if the drive is locked in the future. Once the master password is set, the system administrator might enable DriveLock or choose to leave it disabled. If a locked hard drive is present, POST requires a password to unlock the device. If a power-on password is set and it matches the device's user password, POST does not prompt the user to re-enter the password. Otherwise, the user is prompted to enter a DriveLock password. For a cold-boot, use the 46 Chapter 4 System management ENWW