[P1] encryption clarification

Joe Jones joham at jo-ham.com
Wed Aug 27 15:34:23 PDT 2003


An encrypted disk image would solve problem 1.

Using Carbon Copy Cloner you can back up to a disk image. Keep it on 
the external drive and have it as big as you like (or need) and mount 
it when you need it. If anyone stole the drive all they would see if 
they mounted it was a hard drive with a large disk image file on it 
that they wouldn't be able to mount or crack into.

I use disk images like this, and on the system drive for storing 
sensitive info. I can keep one disk image on my system drive that 
contains all my sensitive folders and I only mount it when I need to 
access it. At all other times it's just sitting on the disk. You need a 
mixed case multiple word passphrase to access it and I don't keep any 
of my disk images passphrases on my keychain.

Joe

On Wednesday, Aug 27, 2003, at 22:49 Europe/London, Emma Gilbride wrote:

> Since I started this thread, let me clarify what my iBook is currently 
> capable of and what it is I wish to do. (iBook, 12", 'ice', 650M, 
> OSX.2.6, all system SW at current updates)
>
> I am the only user and my iBook is set up to require me to log in.
> To prevent start-up using a system disk (CD or otherwise), I have 
> enabled  the firmware password.
> I have Crypt to encrypt individual files on my internal HD.
> I have SafeShred to really get rid of the trash.
> I have and external 80G firewire drive for backups and CarbonCopy. 
> Heretofore I have been using Backup and CDR's.
> I have installed and subscribed to StealthSignal*.
>
> What I need are two different things:
> 1) A way to encrypt or password protect my backup. Ideally, the CD or 
> external HD would not be accessible without a password.
> 2) A way to encrypt or password protect individual folders as well as 
> files.
> 3) Icing on the cake. I would like to set up my iBook so that a thief 
> would be able to start it up and connect online, but not be able to do 
> anything else. See the footnote about StealthSignal.
>
> The reason for this concern for security and privacy is not mere 
> paranoia. I am required by law to keep information received from some 
> persons confidential. I take this responsibility very seriously. I am 
> also the CFO of a small non-profit and I occasionally review the 
> Quickbooks file of the organization. This information also deserves to 
> be kept confidential.
>
> *(This is a really neat and cheap service that helps track down your 
> computer if it is stolen. Every time the computer is online, it sends 
> a very short message informing StealthSignal  of the phone number or 
> ISDN address it is using. Unless SS has been told the computer has 
> been stolen, these messages are discarded. If you tell them your 
> computer has been stolen, the next time it 'logs in' the information 
> is used to inform the local police of the physical location of the 
> computer. They have a good track record of computer recovery.)
>
> Emma Gilbride
>
> What's the difference between a saw and a bagpipe?
> The saw is a musical instrument.
>
> Why do pipers march?
> A) To get away from the noise.
> B) To present a moving target.
>
>
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