when I log in to user A and do a search this Mac, it finds all documents even from other users that are supposed to be confidential! How can I change this so that searches only find documents on that user?
Hunter
Where are the documents located relative to the users home folder?
If they are in folders created right inside the root of the home folder, then they likely have permissions allowing all to read. Those are the default permissions set when creating a folder.
The default folders inside the home folder are set to not allow others to see inside them.
Where are the documents located relative to the users home folder?
If they are in folders created right inside the root of the home folder, then they likely have permissions allowing all to read. Those are the default permissions set when creating a folder.
The default folders inside the home folder are set to not allow others to see inside them.
the documents are inside the user home folder. I changed the user to Standard (was admin) and that seems to have solved the problem though that makes no sense to me. What do you think Barney?
Now it means that every time the standard users update anything I will have to key in my admin password. Guess I'll have to create a 2nd admin user with a different password so that they will not guess my super secret password to my confidential user account.
This happened on the Mavericks OS. I'll have to check some of the other employee computers to see if Lion & mtn lion do the same thing.
Makes perfect sense.
You just need to fix the permissions on the folders you create right inside the home folder. Get Info on those folders and set everyone to No Access and delete the Staff group. You will have to unlock the padlock on the permissions section before you can change those things.
Or, you can create your folders inside any of the default folders, Documents, Desktop, Movies, Pictures, etc.
Both Lion and Mtn Lion operate with the same default permissions.
Admin users do not need your "super secret password" to access your files. They can elevate their priviliges in the Terminal using their own password and see everything inside your home folder
Guess you're my Ed Snowden go to guy for this stuff.
I have been naively thinking my confidential stuff was confidential. I don't think my staff have the wherewithal to figure that out and they are too busy and generally good people anyway.
One think I did notice when I was browing the Users from my employees computer: all other Users Documents folder had the RED dash on the folder. The only one missing the red dash was from mine which is the confidential User. I did set my documents folder to NO Access earlier today but no red dash appeared on that folder. Just checked it again after a restart. seems odd.
Thanks very much for your help Barney.
If the user you were on was an Admin, then they are part of the Staff group, which will have read permissions on a folder you create. However, the Documents folder should have been locked from reading. What are the permissions on it? Had you ever shared it out?
I don't remember ever sharing it. (but then that doesn't mean much). Some software required me to work with firewalls etc. so who knows.
It was available to everyone to read under permissions. I added this USER to my employee's computer using an external drive. Not sure if that has something to do with it.
At any rate, it is now OK. the folder has the nice red dash on it and searches do not include anything from the admin user.
Thanks for your help.
users can see documents for all users on the computer?
