User profile for user: Gerald Gentry
Gerald Gentry Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Can Apple repair technicians get around passwords ?

I recently took my PowerBook into an authorized Apple repair service provider for a dented corner requiring the removal of the case; working the indentation out and replacing it. When the technician called to say it was ready and everything worked fine now - including the SuperDrive etc. I was a little surprised because I had password protected it so that no one (I thought) could use it without the password. When I picked up my machine I asked how the technician was able to test the SDrive without having access. "Oh, those are Apple guys, they have ways of getting around passwords." was the reply. I thought the guy was just blowing smoke and assumed that I had not password protected it properly but when I asked to talk to the technician to see how he got into my computer so I could correct any mistake on my part; I was given the brush off. The owner has yet to return my call; in the meantime can someone tell me if it is true that an Apple trained technician can get into a password protected computer and for that matter any other protected element on an Apple/Mac computer. If, as I suspect they cannot, than I must assume either I did not do it correctly or the technician that called was not telling the truth about testing the Drive.
Thanks

PowerBook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 6:57 AM

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11 replies
User profile for user: rccharles
rccharles
User level: Level 6
13,037 points

Jun 19, 2009 12:24 PM in response to Gerald Gentry

Mac OS X:


Changing or resetting an account password via GUI:
Resetting a user's password
Resetting the original administrator account password
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106156


• You can see that it is easy to change your administrator password. You can set a firmware password that you enter before your machine will boot.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352

• For the best data security, you should use FileVault with a good logon password. I do not recommend using FileVault unless you really need the security because it is much harder to recover your data should you have a hard drive problem.
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User profile for user: Király
Király
User level: Level 6
10,025 points

Jun 22, 2009 8:39 PM in response to Gerald Gentry

There are very easy, well documented ways to defeat an account password. Many of them are even documented on Apple's support site, like this one: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274 . The only way to effectively protect against data theft is to encrypt the data.

Having said all of that, It's quite possible that the Apple tech was indeed blowing smoke at you, and the the repairer never guessed or even reset your password at all, or even accessed your account. If you want to test Mac A's superdrive, It's quite easy to hook one Mac A up to Mac B with FireWire and test out the superdrive from Mac B. This does not require access to any files on Mac A's hard drive.

PS, when sending a Mac in for repair, there's always the chance that the repair technician will screw up and destroy all your data (ie drop the hard drive). This is why the fine print of every repair contract says "repairer is not responsible for any loss of data." So it is vitally important to make a complete backup of your data at home before sending the Mac in for repair. And since you have a complete backup at home, you might as well reformat and zero out the hard drive before sending it in. That way no data will be vulnerable to any snooping repair techs.
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User profile for user: Gerald Gentry
Gerald Gentry Author
User level: Level 1
9 points

Jul 1, 2009 7:47 AM in response to Király

Thanks Kiraly
Finally got an answer. According to tech he uses the bios to create a new account that enables him to use computer without seeing any of my stuff.
But, who knows.
I did encrypt information, ie bank, tax stuff, etc and did a back up before I took it in but the way the person at the front desk put it me - "Oh those Apple guys can get around any password." sounded ominous. If I understand what you are saying - getting around a password to gain access to the computer is not the same thing as getting into an encrypted file. Very helpful
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User profile for user: Kurt Lang
Kurt Lang
User level: Level 9
68,596 points

Jul 1, 2009 10:50 AM in response to Gerald Gentry

Does your answer apply to encrypted files?


No, I was referring to access to the computer and OS. There are ways to get past any firmware password, OS X's login password, Windows' login password, etc. In any such case, you can always get your way to the OS and take it over.

An encrypted file though is another matter entirely. Someone sitting at your computer may have worked their way to the desktop, but they would still need the password for your FileVault data, a password protected Stuffit archive, etc. Either that, or years of time with file password cracking software.
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Can Apple repair technicians get around passwords ?

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