Can non-root user read BIOS Asset Tag?

[lhouk]

If I'm root, I can use the dmidecode command to find out the BIOS Asset Tag value:

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 3, 17 bytes
Chassis Information
        Manufacturer: xxx 
        Type: xxx
        Lock: xxx
        Version: xxx
        Serial Number: xxx
        Asset Tag: 000656495

Is there a way that a user without root privileges can read this value? Thanks in advance to all who respond.

[jpollard]

Ummm.. yes, but only by introducing security problems.

dmidecode read /dev/mem to gain access to the data...

gaining access to /dev/mem gives access to the physical memory of the system...

[lhouk]

Originally Posted by jpollard

Ummm.. yes, but only by introducing security problems.

dmidecode read /dev/mem to gain access to the data...

gaining access to /dev/mem gives access to the physical memory of the system...

Thanks for the quick response! I know that I can use VBScript on Windows systems to get the value as a nonprivileged user with the following:

wmiService.ExecQuery( "Select SMBIOSAssetTag from Win32_SystemEnclosure" )

So I was hoping a similar capability existed for Linux -- one that returned just the Asset Tag value and maybe other non-sensitive data, and thus was allowed for all users.

[lhouk]

Originally Posted by lhouk

If I'm root, I can use the dmidecode command to find out the BIOS Asset Tag value:

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 3, 17 bytes
Chassis Information
        Manufacturer: xxx 
        Type: xxx
        Lock: xxx
        Version: xxx
        Serial Number: xxx
        Asset Tag: 000656495

Is there a way that a user without root privileges can read this value? Thanks in advance to all who respond.

This is a different but related question: could lshal be modified to show this information? Currently it shows system.chassis.manufacturer and system.chassis.type, so why couldn't it be made to show system.chassis.asset_tag? So, how does one go about asking for a feature to be added to a Linux system utility?

[Dies]

Originally Posted by lhouk

...
So, how does one go about asking for a feature to be added to a Linux system utility?

Usually by filing a "feature request" at the projects bugtracker.

http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/hal