Hard Drive Encryption

Question

Level 1

8 points

Hard Drive Encryption

I would like to know if my hard drive is inaccessible to someone who doesn't have my user login information.

I have a MacBook Pro... if someone removes the hard drive can they read my data even though they don't have my password?

I won't to know if I need to use encryption.

Thanks.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Mar 25, 2010 5:20 PM

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Answer 1

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Niel

Level 10

727,115 points

Mar 25, 2010 5:27 PM in response to tz12

I would like to know if my hard drive is inaccessible to someone who doesn't have my user login information.

Only if you use FileVault, an encrypted disk image, or similar methods. All such methods on the Mac can only protect user files; the OS and whole drive can't be encrypted.

(50955)

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Answer 2

tz12 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 25, 2010 5:37 PM in response to Niel

Thanks Niel, so to clarify, if I use FileVault everything in the "Users" folder would be protected and no one could decipher the data when they tried to take it out of the laptop and access it via another computer?

Also, will a bootable copy of my hard drive keep FileVault intact? Are there any limitations?

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Answer 3

Niel

Level 10

727,115 points

Mar 25, 2010 5:43 PM in response to tz12

FileVault works on whole home folders only; it needs to be activated for each individual account. Data in /Users/Shared/ can't be encrypted with FileVault, but an encrypted disk image will work for files manually put there. Data stored there by applications, such as the iTunes authorization record, can't be encrypted.

(50956)

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