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motulist

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 2, 2003
4,236
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How secure is an encrypted disk image? Assuming the password isn't discovered by other means, is a 128 encrypted disk image breachable by any sub-FBI supercomputer means? Could any information be pulled out, such as file names, even if they aren't loadable?
 
Here's a start. Remember to use secure virtual memory!

DOH! 10.3.9 doesn't have a checkbox for secure virtual memory in the security pref pane. At least not when file vault is turned off. I didn't think file vault had to be turned on for my encrypted disk images to be totally secure.
 
Here's a start. Remember to use secure virtual memory!

I'm not super technical...but a lot of these issues are unique to FileVault and not a general characteristic of OS X's implementation of AES-128 encrypted disk images, correct?

Although the secure VM is a good issue, since the VM file potentially has sensitive data in it.
 
I'm not super technical...but a lot of these issues are unique to FileVault and not a general characteristic of OS X's implementation of AES-128 encrypted disk images, correct?

Although the secure VM is a good issue, since the VM file potentially has sensitive data in it.
The strength should be based on AES-128 and the user's password.
 
Also make sure you are not set up to automatically log into the disk image using your login keychain, natch, as that pretty much defeats the security entirely. :D

Yeah, I think it's terrible security that the remember password checkbox is checked by default.
 
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