Boot Options; Device Control; Accessing Bios Security Features From Microsoft Windows - HP Compaq NC4010 Features Manual

2. Enable / Disable devices

Boot Options

Allows users the ability to control multiboot, which is the user's ability to choose boot order. Boot
order can be prioritized among the following devices:
a. hard drive (primary, secondary)
b. diskette drive
c. optical drive
d. USB storage devices (hard drive, diskette drive, optical drive)
e. network
The BIOS can provide finer control over the ability to boot by giving users the ability to
enable/disable boot from the following devices:
a. optical device
b. diskette drive
c. network boot
Best Practice
If there is no regular need to boot from devices other than the primary hard
drive, then the system should be configured to not allow booting from the
optical drive, diskette drive or the network.

Device Control

Device control options are intended to give users control over the computer's external ports.
Disabling an external port helps insure that the port isn't used by unauthorized users to transfer
sensitive information from the client system, nor is it used to gain unauthorized access to the client
system.
Device disabling options can be access in BIOS setup, as well as the BIOS configuration module for
HP ProtectTools, where the following ports can be disabled.
a. serial port
b. infrared port
c. parallel port
d. SD slot

Accessing BIOS Security Features from Microsoft Windows

Security features serve their purpose only if used as intended. For this reason, usability is extremely
important in order to have a secure system. If computer security is easy to use and does not interfere
with a user's ability to be productive, users will not try to bypass it.
This insight is behind the HP ProtectTools focus on usability, and the primary focus of the BIOS
configuration for HP ProtectTools module. All security features provided by the BIOS configuration
module are available in the BIOS setup. However, the BIOS configuration module makes these
features available directly from within Windows.
With BIOS Configuration for HP ProtectTools, authorized users can get access to power-on user and
administrator password management, and they can configure pre-boot authentication features, such
as smart card, power-on password and the embedded security chip.
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