PROM Passwords

Traditionally, if an intruder gains access to your system hardware, there is little you can do to maintain system security. In the simplest case, the intruder switches off the system, then turns it on again, and instructs the system from the console to boot a program other than your usual operating system. Alternatively, the intruder could simply remove the hard disk from your system and install it on another system and read your files. While there is nothing you can do with system software to prevent physical theft of the hardware, you can limit the ability of intruders to boot their programs or to otherwise damage your system at its lowest levels with a PROM password.

Note that if you forget your PROM password, but you still know your root password, you can reset the PROM password on most systems through the nvram command. If you cannot successfully reset the PROM password, you must remove the PROM or a jumper from your CPU board. See your Owner's Guide for information on this procedure.

To assign a new PROM password if you have forgotten it, first clear the existing PROM password from IRIX with the nvram command, and then assign a new one with the passwd command from the PROM monitor.

Clearing the PROM Password Using nvram

1. Log in as root.

2. Give the following command:

   nvram passwd_key ""

   Your PROM password is now cleared.

Setting the PROM Password From the Command Monitor

1. Log in as root and shut the system down.

2. When you see the message:

   Starting up the system...

   To perform system maintenance instead, press <Esc>

   press the <Esc> key to see the System Maintenance Menu.

3. Select option 5 from the System Maintenance Menu to enter the Command Monitor. You see the Command Monitor prompt:

   >>

4. Type the passwd command and press <Enter>:

   passwd

   You see the prompt:

   Enter new password:

5. Enter the password you want for your system and press <Enter>. You see the following prompt:

   Confirm new password:

6. Enter the password again, exactly as you typed it before. If you typed the password the same as the first time, you see the Command Monitor prompt again.Your password is now set. Whenever you access the Command Monitor, you will be required to enter this password.