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Overriding the string format for challenge/response codes

You can override a challenge/response code string format to fine-tune how the challenge and response codes will be presented to the user.

Challenge code string formats are defined using HDD CHALLENGE FORMAT, and response code string formats are defined using HDD RESPONSE FORMAT.

To override a challenge code string format:

  1. Click Manage the system > Modules > Unlock encrypted systems/accounts (HDD) .

  2. Define a challenge code string format for HDD CHALLENGE FORMAT.

  3. Click Update.

To override a response code string format:

  1. Click Manage the system > Modules > Unlock encrypted systems/accounts (HDD).

  2. Define a response code string format for HDD RESPONSE FORMAT.

  3. Click Update.

Note

If you choose to manually define a challenge or response code string format, it will be presented the same way for all hard drive encryption systems.

Special formatting characters are used to determine what the expected input/output will be. These characters are:

  • 9 - Any numeric character.

  • a - Any alphabetic character.

  • * - Any alphanumeric character.

  • A - Any alphabetic character. The character will be converted to uppercase.

  • & - Any alphanumeric character. All alphabetic characters will be converted to uppercase.

  • n - Adds a new line. This is only supported in HDD RESPONSE FORMAT.

Other characters are used to define optional characters or limit the number of characters a string can have:

  • [ ] - Any characters enclosed in square brackets will be treated as optional characters. This can only be defined once per challenge or response code, and at the end of a format string.

  • _{m,n} - A boundary condition in which the recovery string contains a variable number of characters. This can only be defined once per challenge or response code, and at the end of a format string.

    _ denotes the special formatting character, m denotes the minimum number of characters that can be entered, and n denotes the maximum number of characters that can be entered.

All other characters will be treated as literals, with the exception of lower-case d , hms , and y .

Examples

  1. To set a fixed string format for challenge codes, consisting of 20 numeric characters grouped in 4, and separated with spaces:

    HDD CHALLENGE FORMAT = 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999

    An accepted challenge code would be:

    2356 7217 2340 3992 6671

  2. To limit user input to 10-20 alphanumeric characters:

    HDD CHALLENGE FORMAT = *{10,20}

    An accepted challenge code would be:

    a6S8k7H6f1J1b2

  3. To provide additional input for an optional 5 characters to a fixed string format for challenge codes, consisting of 20 alphanumeric characters with alphabetic characters converted to upper case, grouped in 5 and separated with spaces:

    HDD CHALLENGE FORMAT = &&&&& &&&&& &&&&& &&&&& [&&&&&]

    Accepted challenge codes would be:

    6S9C1 7N6K2 T0I4W 9M3Q1 2Y6C5

    or

    7H2H5 J1R2I 2G2AI 6H4CS

  4. To set a fixed string format for response codes, consisting of 30 alphanumeric characters with alphabetic characters converted to upper case, grouped in 5, and separated with spaces:

    HDD RESPONSE FORMAT = &&&&& &&&&& &&&&& &&&&& &&&&& &&&&&

    An accepted response code would be presented as:

    A6S8S 9S7U6 Y6C4U 5H7Y7 T5S6G 3Z2SB

  5. To add a line to a response code, using the previous example:

    HDD RESPONSE FORMAT = &&&&& &&&&& &&&&&n &&&&& &&&&& &&&&&

    An accepted response code would be presented as:

    A6S8S 9S7U6 Y6C4U
5H7Y7 T5S6G 3Z2SB

  6. To provision between 1-5 numeric characters at the end of a response code:

    HDD RESPONSE FORMAT = 99999 99999 99999{1,5}

    Accepted response codes would be:

    23499 63724 60761

    or

    45789 23476 98892342

See also

In this section: