BIOS password reset

[Tony D]

I have a Toshiba Satellite C855-S5350 laptop in here that wants a BIOS password. I know this machine and I know the customer well. He said he didn't set a BIOS password and I believe him.

I told him that to set the BIOS password, you'd have to start the machine and press F2 to get to the BIOS. He said he didn't do that and I'm sure he didn't. He teaches at a well-known university. I wonder is one of his students didn't set the password when he wasn't looking. I'll have to ask him the chances of that.

My question is: has anyone heard of any malware that can do this?

Also, if you have a solution as to how to reset the BIOS password in this machine, I'd appreciate it. Removing the BIOS battery didn't work. On-line search show that there are jumpers that need to be shorted out. I haven't found the right jumpers for this particular machine.

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

@starbuck
Pete may know if there is any type of malware capable of doing this.
It sounds to me as if someone may have added the BIOS password as a prank.
Have you tried not typing a password and just pressing the Enter key on the keyboard, Tony?

 

[DSTM]

Also Tony, this guy seems to know a fix for the 855's to remove password.
Worth a look.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7qAigtNMU

 

[Tony D]

Have you tried not typing a password and just pressing the Enter key on the keyboard, Tony?

I did try no password. That didn't work.

Thanks Dougie, I had seen that video and I was hopeful. This model is a bit different. I looked for those solder pads. Didn't find them.

 

[plodr]

Toshiba's site says this
The computer can't be used at all until the password is supplied. It is possible someone has set a UEFI/BIOS password. It is unlikely for this situation to occur without manually setting a password. Obtain the UEFI/BIOS password if possible. There is no way to reset a UEFI/BIOS password except by an Authorized TOSHIBA Service Center.

I found these by putting in a Philly zip code:

Laptop Service Center
35 LaCrue Avenue, Suite 6
Glen Mills, PA 19342
610-521-6100

Compuworld
121 West City Avenue
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
610-660-0620
If the laptop is still under warranty, perhaps he can call and find out the best way to proceed.

 

[Tony D]

Here's the video that provided the solution

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkmKCFSt0pg

 

[plodr]

So the 855 worked the same as a 655? And was it labelled B500 too?

 

[Tony D]

Yes, it was labeled B500.

Seems there are different models of 855. Need to include the digits after the dash (-). So this was a C855-S5350

 

[starbuck]

Pete may know if there is any type of malware capable of doing this.

There was a thread about 12 months ago over at BC, but it couldn't be proved that it was malware that did it:
and strangely enough, this concerned a Toshiba laptop.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/605633/virus-put-bios-password-on-computer/

 

[Tony D]

Thanks for the follow up. I looked at that thread. Security Colleague posted two links to a password screen. The first was to a Startup password. In my case and the case at BC, it was definitely a BIOS password. Note: Removing the BIOS battery did affect the clock, but didn't reset the password.

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

That was an interesting thread.

 

[starbuck]

Seems this has been going on for some time with some Toshiba laptops.

BIOS Password set itself?
User said:

I finally got in contact with Toshiba technical support. They said it's some sort of defect in the manufacturing or coding...the guy didn't speak very good English so I'm unclear as to what he meant. Anyway, they'll fix it for free.

Toshiba Satillite Random Bios Password
User said:

On Toshiba's site it does mention about random bios passwords on some satillete laptops FYI. Its a bio issue.

Pervasive Bios Password Bug
This is actually on the Toshiba site.....User said:

Sure, they offer to pay for a shop to do it, but we don't have time for this. Records of this issue go back nearly a decade

From Toshiba support:
Incorrect power-on password prompt -- with older BIOS versions

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

I work on a lot of Toshiba laptops and this is the first I have heard of it.
Very interesting.
Thanks, Pete!