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bug#15633: dd and host protected area
From: |
Pádraig Brady |
Subject: |
bug#15633: dd and host protected area |
Date: |
Wed, 16 Oct 2013 21:30:02 +0100 |
User-agent: |
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:17.0) Gecko/20130110 Thunderbird/17.0.2 |
tag 15633 notabug
close 15633
stop
On 10/16/2013 08:19 AM, Peter D. wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Is it deliberate that dd can not read from, or write to the host protected
> area? Or is it a bug?
Deliberate.
dd is a high level tool (the d is for data not disk).
Consequently dd just requests the OS to read/write etc.
> It is sensible the the OS does not normally access the HPA, but dd is not
> a normal tool.
>
> Personally I would expect it to be able to read from the HPA and to write
> to it with a suitable flag like, "--yes-I-am-reckless".
>
> Some jurisdictions require that hard drives be blanked before disposal. Dd
> is the obvious tool for that.
shred is more appropriate actually.
I would think a specialized tool (when the OS is allowed access),
or settings in the BIOS to disable this area is more appropriate.
thanks,
Pádraig.