file access for different users??

[uhlawboi80]

before i re-intalled OSX there was a default "other" user for my system that didnt have access to all of my files. After i reinstalled i created a seperate user so that others could use my computer. What i want to know is how can i LIMIT access to certain folders from other users. There are cases and personal files (emails, etc) that are in folders i would like to not have others who use my computerhave access to (my computer is often used by others for westlaw research etc when im wireless in the law library). Thanx for any help you guys can provide!!!

[Rower_CPU]

The easiest way is to keep your private documents in your user's home directory. Only an admin (or root) is able to browse your Desktop and Documents directories.

OS X does a pretty good job right off the bat keeping your documents out of the hands of other users.

Just create a user account for others to use and you'll be set.

[Doctor Q]

If you define a number of users in the Accounts pane of System Preferences, then most folders and files under each user's Home folder will be hidden from other users, while all installed applications will be available to all users. There are some exceptions, such as the Public and Sites folders. And all of the access permissions can be overriden using the Get Info Ownership & Permissions settings. If you aren't on Jaguar, some of the details may be different but the idea is the same.

Have you tested whether your files are already safe? Log in as one of the Westlaw user names and confirm that you can't get into your e-mail files and other documents.

And don't forget the obvious stuff: Asssign unguessable passwords to each user. Don't tell anyone yours. Make sure you are the only administrator and that nobody else has the root password.

[uhlawboi80]

thanx for the replies...i hadnt thought of leaving it all in my home directory...mainly because i keep it all on a different partition than the OS.

i know that as of now any other users can get to anything on my partition where i keep my files, ive tried. The issues also isnt really that others would be trying to use my computer without my permission...i just log out and toss it over to them =) so there is no login password for the other generic user.

i guess i can try altering the ownership and permissions for the folder to allow only me(admin) to access them

thanx guys

[Doctor Q]

You are correct. Files don't have to be in your Home folder to be protected. All you need to do is set the permissions of your top-level folders on the other partition to give you exclusive access. It isn't strictly necessary to set permissions on every folder and file within those folders. Doing so would simply be insurance against others gaining access if the permissions on the top-level folders were somehow changed back.