asterisk users - Aug 2003 - ATA-186 locking: implausible unlock method

For those of you wanting to salvage your Cisco ATA-186 after 
inadvertent locking, or after recovering your devices from a vendor 
who has locked them, here is a rainy-day project for you:

http://www.sst.com/downloads/datasheet/S71077.pdf

The above document gives exact specifications on the 4mb flash EEPROM 
that stores all program and configuration data on the ATA-186 (aka 
Komodo.)  If you have a suitably delicate hand, a large amount of 
sophisticated equipment, and some good clamps, you might be able to 
erase those sections on the chip which contain the configuration 
data.  Maybe.  :)  I would advise writing off a few ATA's while you 
try this, and I'd also write off a few weeks of time while you 
attempt it (unless, of course, you happen to be an unnamed 
three-letter US government agency who is good at this particular type 
of craft, and you happen to send me an anonymous email message with 
instructions for the home user.  Hint hint.)

Please aim your negative karma at Cisco for creating a piece of 
hardware that can be rendered useless with software.  This is against 
all previous ideology of Cisco, and is a disturbing trend.

JT

gee, this sounds worse than any current virus or worm.

has this vunerability been reported to the appropriate NON cisco people
so a worldwide alert can be issued ??  :-)

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 11:27:39 -0700, John Todd wrote:
>
>For those of you wanting to salvage your Cisco ATA-186 after 
>inadvertent locking, or after recovering your devices from a vendor 
>who has locked them, here is a rainy-day project for you:
>
>http://www.sst.com/downloads/datasheet/S71077.pdf
>
>The above document gives exact specifications on the 4mb flash EEPROM 
>that stores all program and configuration data on the ATA-186 (aka 
>Komodo.)  If you have a suitably delicate hand, a large amount of 
>sophisticated equipment, and some good clamps, you might be able to 
>erase those sections on the chip which contain the configuration 
>data.  Maybe.  :)  I would advise writing off a few ATA's while you 
>try this, and I'd also write off a few weeks of time while you 
>attempt it (unless, of course, you happen to be an unnamed 
>three-letter US government agency who is good at this particular type 
>of craft, and you happen to send me an anonymous email message with 
>instructions for the home user.  Hint hint.)
>
>Please aim your negative karma at Cisco for creating a piece of 
>hardware that can be rendered useless with software.  This is against 
>all previous ideology of Cisco, and is a disturbing trend.
>
>JT
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