Log out update in Leopard?
Any idea if it'll be possible to log out without quitting apps in Leopard? I remember rumblings of this a while back.
I just had my powerbook stolen and am kicking myself for not logging off, now the theif has access to all my stuff. I never log off because I like to open the lid and carry righ on with what I was doing - and I've usually got half a dozen apps open and working at once.
However, I'd be happy to type in my password and up comes everything as I left it - with an option to automatically log off when the machine sleeps or the laptop lid is closed.
I just had my powerbook stolen and am kicking myself for not logging off, now the theif has access to all my stuff. I never log off because I like to open the lid and carry righ on with what I was doing - and I've usually got half a dozen apps open and working at once.
However, I'd be happy to type in my password and up comes everything as I left it - with an option to automatically log off when the machine sleeps or the laptop lid is closed.
Comments
Obviously you need to reset all of your website passwords, but I wonder if the banks and such could flag the IP of anyone trying to log in with the same ID but the wrong password? That would pinpoint the thief's location.
Nonetheless, I spent last weekend changing all my passwords.
I just wish my files weren't visible.
If your computer is in someone else's hands, all bets are down. He can shutdown the computer, remove the hard drive and plug it to another computer to read its contents. Only way to pretect yourself from this, is to have your files on a File Vault account and be logged out or go with Fast User Switch in the login screen. In this case, he will need your File Vault password to read the disk image of your (protected) home directory, whatever the means he tries to use to break it.
But I feel your pain.
I'd actually installed Undercover six months ago. They have the computer on their database as stolen, and reckon they can trace the IP address as soon as someone goes online. I just wish my files weren't visible.
I hate to say it but I don't see that it will help. The first thing I'd do with a stolen machine is reformat the drive. Disabling the firmware password is as easy as removing a ram chip and resetting the PRAM:
http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwar...protection.php
Even if they don't know how to do it, chances are they will find out as easily as I did.
This means your only hope would be if the machine was repaired and the ID recognised as stolen, which is highly unlikely.
What I would do is forget about getting the machine back and try and claim insurance on it. Even a Macbook is much faster than a powerbook so if you can get enough to buy one then you're better off IMO. It's a shame that you have to reset all your passwords. If you have anything like bank details, you should encrypt them manually using say a disk image in disk utility. That way no one can access it ever (unless you forget to uncheck use keychain).
One thing I did was to install the firmware password.
This is a good extra protection as long as someone does not remove the hard drive from the machine. But if this happens, only an encrypted home directory, a la File Vault, can keep efficiently your files hidden.
The first thing I'd do with a stolen machine is reformat the drive.
That's because you know what you are doing. The average dumbass thief is just going to plug it in and try to surf.