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User profile for user: FLVSH
FLVSH Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Does anyone can erase my MacBook?

Hello, dear friend. I've just reinstalled my macOS via Recovery mode and has one question about my MacBook protection. Could any person did it to my Mac? I mean, I do not have a password on recovery mode and nobody asks you do set it up by default, but there is an Internet Recovery also, without any password, so...


I mean, if someone will take my Mac with my Apple ID, with Find My Mac, FileVault turned on and etc and did this:


1. The person will shut down Mac

2. The person will enter internet recovery (Shift-Option-Command-R) or just in my recovery (Command-R).

3. Person will fully erase my disk ("Macintosh HD") with Disk Utility

4. Person will reinstall MacOS using recovery

5. Person will run MacOS after with it's own Apple ID.


Can anyone do that?

MacBook Pro 15”, macOS 10.14

Posted on May 10, 2019 1:16 PM

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,572 points

Posted on May 10, 2019 5:12 PM

@Kappy, I believe the OP wasn't asking about the security of his data, but whether someone could re-purpose the laptop. Your answer in this regard is a little vague in the explanation.


With FileVault turned on, the user data is safe as Kappy mentioned, but someone can wipe out the drive and set it up to use it as their own. Enabling an EFI Firmware password is the only way to keep someone from erasing the drive and reinstalling macOS. If an EFI Firmware password is enabled and you try to boot the system in any manner other than a default boot to the internal drive you will be presented with the EFI Firmware password prompt. This covers an Option Boot, Recovery Mode, Single User Mode, etc.

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,572 points

May 10, 2019 5:12 PM in response to Kappy

@Kappy, I believe the OP wasn't asking about the security of his data, but whether someone could re-purpose the laptop. Your answer in this regard is a little vague in the explanation.


With FileVault turned on, the user data is safe as Kappy mentioned, but someone can wipe out the drive and set it up to use it as their own. Enabling an EFI Firmware password is the only way to keep someone from erasing the drive and reinstalling macOS. If an EFI Firmware password is enabled and you try to boot the system in any manner other than a default boot to the internal drive you will be presented with the EFI Firmware password prompt. This covers an Option Boot, Recovery Mode, Single User Mode, etc.

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Does anyone can erase my MacBook?

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