Password protect Tme Machine backups

Question

Level 1

10 points

Password protect Tme Machine backups

I'm a bit surprised that Apple has yet to implement such a feature. I know I can protect my home folder via File Vault, but it's not a very good solution for my entire Time Machine backup, particularly due to how backups function when File Vault is enabled. I'm surprised I can password protect my iPhone backup (which is password protected on my computer), but I can't password protect my Time Machine backup that is on an external drive! All of my users Time Machine to my Xserve locked up in a rack in my server room, but for personal use Time Machine is quite insecure. Anybody else want this feature?

MacBook Unibody, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Nov 2, 2009 8:50 AM

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Answer 1

stevekn

Level 1

26 points

Nov 2, 2009 10:55 AM in response to linedpaper

This would be a good feature especially since so many time capsules are expiring after 18 months due to power supple problems, when disk drive is OK
However, even if you get apple to replace the TC, there is no data transfer, nor wiping of the drive, so all of your and clients personal data saved by time machine onto the HD in the TC would be available to whoever received the TC for refurbishment. (does any one know where the TC's are buried, and what effort is made to protect the data on them?)

I do not know however how much the time machine would be slowed using data encryption? (It is slow enough already!)

Steve still mourning his Time Capsule (2008-2009 RIP )

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Answer 2

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Nov 2, 2009 12:00 PM in response to linedpaper

For most purposes, encrypting the whole backup would be vast overkill. Is there really any point to encrypting your copy of OSX and apps?

Even encrypting an entire home folder is way to much for most of us -- some documents, perhaps, but music, videos, photos? (Your keychain, with passwords, is already encrypted.)

Why not make an encrypted sparse bundle for your very sensitive stuff? Then it's protected anywhere it is; on your system, on your TM backups, on any other backups such as a bootable "clone."

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