Breaking into a machine, typically a workstation, by using the monitor at the console to poke values into memory has always been possible. I didn't realize how simple and unobtrusive it was before I saw this script. This one is for Suns, but the principle applies to any machine with a console monitor. On Sun4s there is some sort of "secure mode" that I presume lets you disable the monitor. It is possible to change the L1-A sequence to another pair of keys, but if you own /dev/console you can change it back. This obscurity may or may not be useful. This particular attack needs a way to run the script on the machine, typically in a shell. I presume there are other spots where you could tickle a machine that don't even require that. Physically secure consoles prevent this attack. Sigh.