Test Results for Software Write Block Tools: PDBLOCK Version 1.02 (PDB_LITE)

• NCJ Number: 209831
• Date Published: June 2005
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2003-IJ-R-029
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement

Annotation

This report presents results from testing the software write block tool PDBLOCK Version 1.02 (PDB_LITE) against Software Write Block Tool Specification and Test Plan Version 3.0.

Abstract

Software Write Block Tool Specification and Test Plan Version 3.0 requires that a top-level software write block tool not allow a protected computer drive to be changed, not prevent obtaining any information from or about any drive, and not prevent any operations to a drive that is not protected. For all test cases run on PDB_LITE, which is a product of Digital Intelligence, Inc., the tool always blocked all write commands sent to a protected drive; however, the tool did not block some commands from the configuration and miscellaneous categories that were either undefined (invalid) or outmoded and not routinely used by current software. These commands in current BIOS implementations do not write to a hard drive, but in the future they could be defined so that they would change the contents or accessibility of a protected drive; therefore, in the test specification, these commands are included in categories that should be blocked. For all test cases run, the tool always allowed commands to obtain information from protected drives. Finally, the tool always allowed any command to access any unprotected drives for all test cases run. Extensive tabular data