Things I already hate about Kubuntu (new user)

['Forum Post]

Terry North Wrote: 
> 

> 2. Security.

> Anyone, and I mean anyone, can boot as root using Recovery Mode.  I
> took

> advantage of that to set a root password.  Whether that stops anyone
> else using

> Recovery Mode to gain root access I don't yet know.

> 



To do this requires physical access as others have pointed out. 
Physical access means 100% power over the machine.  For example, you
might change your bios settings to boot from the HD first and not from
any removable media.  This would prevent someone from booting a live
CD, mounting your drive, and getting your data or deleting it .... that
is, until the savvy physical attacker resets your bios.  So you password
protect your bios ... cool, except that it just takes a jumper to short
to pins and the bios defaults are reset.  Or maybe you get some
uber-cool bios that can't be reset this way -- attacker just removes
your HD and takes it home.



Physical access is everything -- your only protection would be
encryption and an offisite backup.  Anyway, if you are going to worry
about recovery mode, you might as well build a vault and bomb shelter. 
Realisticly, if someone gains physical access to a regular Joe's
computer -- it's to pawn it, not hack it.


-- 
ninotob