I would like to have one folder I could lock down to store sensitive information in that I don't want anyone else to accidently see if I leave my computer logged in at my house.
I would like to have one folder I could lock down to store sensitive information in that I don't want anyone else to accidently see if I leave my computer logged in at my house.
Is this a pipe dream?
Eric
It's not a pipe dream; it's permissions and its an integral feature of MacOS X. Here's all you do:
1. Disable automatic login. If you allow anybody to use your account, then any security measure that you can conceive of is virtually certain to fail
2. Do Get Info on your folder. Click the Ownership & Permissions triangle. Click the Details triangle. For your account (Owner:), choose Read & Write from the pop-up menu. For Group: and Others:, choose No Access.
3. Click the button labeled Apply to enclosed items...
another method is to use "Disk Utility" to create an encrypted disk image.. set it to have a password and do not check the box that says "remember password". You can save secret files in there and won't be able to open it without typing in your password.
For added effect, you can even make its icon look like a regular folder icon by copy/pasting the image in the "get info" window. Reply if you need more details.
Because the underlying code is there that is why it's extra dumb that they didn't put this in Panther. It's a feature in Windows I really like. And of course OS X would take it the extra step with an encryption option. I bet they'll have that in Tiger, it's too easy not to and definitely something I'll be using, to store all my...homework..yeah.
I like the image idea posted above. I have a password set on my account but int he event I leave myself logged on and my brother shows up or my live in relative (wife's sis) pop's on, I wan this stuff to be inaccessible.
I created a 10 mb image and made a nice long phrased password. Probalby 30 characters or more with encyption.
Questions, if I decided I want to delte the image and reclaim the space back to normal, can I do this?
I have the 10 mb disk image unmounted. I want to delete it all together and not have it anymore. When I drag it from the Disk Utility Window to the trash, it doesn't delete the image. I am getting hte feeling there is no way to delete an image once you create it? Am I missing something?
well.. there are two icons you're dealing with. One is the image that looks like a white drive (it shows up when the disk image is opened), the other image looks like a document with a picture of a drive on it - is the actual file itself.
If you wanted to delete it, then drag the white drive to the trash first, and then drag the document to the trash.
When you empty the trash, it will permanently delete all the information you stored within that file.
I got it. Now that I realize how it works I can delete it. You have to drag the image from the finder window, not directly from the Disk Utility window, which is a little dumb. I emptied the trash and no more image in Disk Utility.
I think I actually like this method better than having a folder now that I have messed around with it. The image cannot be searched when it is unmounted. That is even better.
If i remember correctly, last time i googled AES-128 i found a lot about how unless you have every government and every geek trying to get into what you have, you are pretty safe. They said something like a supercomputer could take 20+ years to come close. I may be wrong. It is just what i rememeber.
Comments
Originally posted by aplnub
I would like to have one folder I could lock down to store sensitive information in that I don't want anyone else to accidently see if I leave my computer logged in at my house.
Is this a pipe dream?
Eric
It's not a pipe dream; it's permissions and its an integral feature of MacOS X. Here's all you do:
1. Disable automatic login. If you allow anybody to use your account, then any security measure that you can conceive of is virtually certain to fail
2. Do Get Info on your folder. Click the Ownership & Permissions triangle. Click the Details triangle. For your account (Owner:), choose Read & Write from the pop-up menu. For Group: and Others:, choose No Access.
3. Click the button labeled Apply to enclosed items...
For added effect, you can even make its icon look like a regular folder icon by copy/pasting the image in the "get info" window. Reply if you need more details.
I created a 10 mb image and made a nice long phrased password. Probalby 30 characters or more with encyption.
Questions, if I decided I want to delte the image and reclaim the space back to normal, can I do this?
Eric
Originally posted by aplnub
...if I decided I want to delte the image and reclaim the space back to normal, can I do this?
Eric
Are you asking if deleting the image in the future (and emptying the trash) will free up 10Mb of space on your hard drive? Yes it will.
Eric
If you wanted to delete it, then drag the white drive to the trash first, and then drag the document to the trash.
When you empty the trash, it will permanently delete all the information you stored within that file.
Thanks guys!! Many thanks!!
Eric
I think I actually like this method better than having a folder now that I have messed around with it. The image cannot be searched when it is unmounted. That is even better.
Eric
I use the application every-time i am finished for the day. If i know i will be using it a lot, i will even dock it for easier access
How safe is a 24 character password, generally speaking, with the 128 bit encyption offered? Pretty safe?
ERic
As far as how safe your password is, check it with the tools explained at http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...31026012223557