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Apple boosts firmware password security on newer Macs

chscag

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This could be good and maybe bad. The good part is that a firmware locked machine can stop casual thieves from putting in a new hard drive in order to set the stolen machine up as their own. But for those folks who enter a firmware password and later forget it, it looks like only Apple will be able to unlock it. And I'm betting that Apple will want to see proof of ownership first.
 
Doug b

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chscag said:
This could be good and maybe bad. The good part is that a firmware locked machine can stop casual thieves from putting in a new hard drive in order to set the stolen machine up as their own. But for those folks who enter a firmware password and later forget it, it looks like only Apple will be able to unlock it. And I'm betting that Apple will want to see proof of ownership first.
Click to expand...

I see no problem with that either way. If you legitimately own an apple product, you'll have some form of proof, whether it be in an email confirmation or physical receipt. Most of the time you'll have something in the the form of a digital receipt as well. I still have my digital receipts from both my MacBook Pros in my email saved folder. Plus, I'm also sure you can associate products with your mobile me account, if you have one. And if it's free at some point, then everybody will likely have one.

I'm all for this.

Doug
 
RONE

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chscag said:
This could be good and maybe bad. The good part is that a firmware locked machine can stop casual thieves from putting in a new hard drive in order to set the stolen machine up as their own. But for those folks who enter a firmware password and later forget it, it looks like only Apple will be able to unlock it. And I'm betting that Apple will want to see proof of ownership first.
Click to expand...

I see zero problems with any of that. Catering to the lowest common denominator (in this case, people who can't remember their passwords) has put our society in a pretty situation place overall.
 
harryb2448

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Just be ready for a new lot of threads advising have lost my firmware password and cannot access my computer or boot from install DVD. Great in a perfect world where no on e forgets their firmware password.
 
robduckyworth

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chscag said:
And I'm betting that Apple will want to see proof of ownership first.
Click to expand...

most of us have our computers registered to us through apple, right? :)
 
Doug b

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robduckyworth said:
most of us have our computers registered to us through apple, right? :)
Click to expand...


Zaaactly. And if you can't remember your own security questions or a series of things which you set up such as :

What is your mother's maiden name
what was your first pet's name etc... ON TOP OF :

What is the email address and password associated with your Apple Account (mobile me, etc etc) then quite frankly, you don't deserve to own a computer IMESHO.

Doug
 
chscag

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For us folks who know better... we keep our paper receipts and email receipts or credit card statements. But how many times have we read in a post "I lost my original startup disk" or "I threw them away".

You think there won't be some folks who didn't keep their receipt or bother to register with Apple? (If they didn't buy Apple care.)

I agree it's a good thing for most of us. Mac portables are among the most wanted by thieves so perhaps this will help to get some of them back or at least make it useless to the thief.
 
C

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Lest we forget Apple's Support Profile system information, which of course, will show proof of ownership - provided that the owner even uses it and enters serial numbers.

I am definitely all for this.
 
C

class77


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Doug b said:
Zaaactly. And if you can't remember your own security questions or a series of things which you set up such as :

What is your mother's maiden name
what was your first pet's name etc... ON TOP OF :

What is the email address and password associated with your Apple Account (mobile me, etc etc) then quite frankly, you don't deserve to own a computer IMESHO.

Doug
Click to expand...
Don't EVER use your mom's maiden name as a security question. It's one of the vital pieces of information when someone steals your identity and it's not a good idea to use it casually.
 
Doug b

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class77 said:
Don't EVER use your mom's maiden name as a security question. It's one of the vital pieces of information when someone steals your identity and it's not a good idea to use it casually.
Click to expand...

lol... I was just using that as an example, because we all have seen that question pop up for security questions. But I agree.. that is one of the dumbest security questions posed.

Doug
 

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