[FDE] PointSec

[Patrick Cahalan]

> something called "pixie boot" which I never did get a clear 
> definition of

"pixie boot" is longhand for "PXE" (Preboot Execution
Environment).  The wikipedia article is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment

Short form: the PXE environment specification was written to
provide functionality for a network-enabled device to boot
independently of local storage.  Essentially, PXE-enabled network
devices (if they are listed in the Boot Order of a system BIOS)
will execute a network request for a boot server to provide them
with a bootable file.

PXE functionality can usually be disabled in the system bios,
and/or can be bypassed by removing network devices from the boot
media option.

I'm not familiar with PointSec, but a quick read of their website
reveals why PointSec would not play well with PXE-capable
devices; they apparently lock-down a computing device to prohibit
booting from any connected media other than the PointSec
protected encrypted media; a network-bootable computer would be a
no-no.  Essentially, PointSec appears to want to make it so that
any lost PC is essentially usable as nothing except perhaps a
boat anchor.