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Password protect a folder?

J

jjmaximum

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 8, 2004
94
0
Gainesville, FL
Is there an app (or a way already in 10.3) that would allow me to password-protect a folder so nobody else could view the contents or open any of the files in the folder? TIA
 
I think I still have the program.. hold on I'll check:

Aha!

It's a program called "LameSecure".. just search it in google or on version tracker and I'm sure it'll come up. I believe it makes a copy of the folder or something.. don't hold me to that I haven't used it in forever. Give it a try and let me know how it works. ;)
 
You can do something close.
Using disk utility, you can create a disk image.
It asks if you want to encrypt.
The limitation is that you need to specify the disk/image size.
Is that what you were looking for?
 
Flynnstone said:
You can do something close.
Using disk utility, you can create a disk image.
It asks if you want to encrypt.
The limitation is that you need to specify the disk/image size.
Is that what you were looking for?
Click to expand...
Agreed! This is the best way to protect your, er, sensitive files. ;)

To be specific:

  • Open Applications->Utilities->Disk Utility.
  • Click the "New Image" icon in the toolbar (or use Images->New...->Blank Image)
  • Fill in "Save as:" field with a name.
  • Select an appropriate size
  • Set the excryption to AES-128
  • Keep the format as "read/write disk image"
  • Click "Create"
  • You'll be prompted for a password - enter one
  • Very important: Unselect "Remember password (add to Keychain)" before clicking OK to set the password.

This creates the password-protected .dmg file. Double-click it to open it (supply the password, and don't opt to store it in your keychain, or else anyone in your account can open it). It then looks like a mounted disk image - drag things into/out of it. Eject it to return it to it's password-protected state.
 
Flynnstone said:
You can do something close.
Using disk utility, you can create a disk image.
It asks if you want to encrypt.
The limitation is that you need to specify the disk/image size.
Is that what you were looking for?
Click to expand...

I second this suggestion. This method uses 128 bit encryption for the entire contents of the disk image, just like FileVault, except much more flexible.
You can make it almost any size you want, which I guess is somewhat of a limitation if you don't have any idea how much space the contents will eventually hold.

Just remember to leave the checkbox "remember this password" unchecked.
 
I use the disk image method for my secure stuff. It's empty..... but its a secure set of "000"s on my hard drive.
 
jjmaximum said:
Is there an app (or a way already in 10.3) that would allow me to password-protect a folder so nobody else could view the contents or open any of the files in the folder? TIA
Click to expand...
You are using a Unix-based computer. Why don't you its basic features? You can set the permissions of your folder in question to allow only your account to read the folder's contents. For an extra measure, you can also set the permissions of each file in the folder to allow access only to your account. Then, don't allow automatic login and keep your password only to yourself.
 
JSW

jsw said:
Agreed! This is the best way to protect your, er, sensitive files. ;)

To be specific:

  • Open Applications->Utilities->Disk Utility.
  • Click the "New Image" icon in the toolbar (or use Images->New...->Blank Image)
  • Fill in "Save as:" field with a name.
  • Select an appropriate size
  • Set the excryption to AES-128
  • Keep the format as "read/write disk image"
  • Click "Create"
  • You'll be prompted for a password - enter one
  • Very important: Unselect "Remember password (add to Keychain)" before clicking OK to set the password.

This creates the password-protected .dmg file. Double-click it to open it (supply the password, and don't opt to store it in your keychain, or else anyone in your account can open it). It then looks like a mounted disk image - drag things into/out of it. Eject it to return it to it's password-protected state.
Click to expand...

JSW,

Tried exactly what you said and I got a 'Device Busy' error message. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
 
MisterMe said:
You are using a Unix-based computer. Why don't you its basic features? You can set the permissions of your folder in question to allow only your account to read the folder's contents. For an extra measure, you can also set the permissions of each file in the folder to allow access only to your account. Then, don't allow automatic login and keep your password only to yourself.
Click to expand...
The problem with this would be if you log into your computer, and step away for a period of time, anyone could see those files unless you log out everytime you leave your computer.

Sure, it's being a little paranoid, but the disk image thing is superb. And secure.
 
jjmaximum said:
JSW,

Tried exactly what you said and I got a 'Device Busy' error message. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
Click to expand...
jjmaximum - did BV's suggestion help? My guess is that you had a read-only disk (CD, DVD) selected when you did the new image thing - maybe. Does clicking on your hard disk icon, then doing the steps above help? I'm not at my Mac, so I can't provide direct help now. I'm not sure why you'd get the "Device Busy" message without being able to diagnose it at home.
 
jsw said:
jjmaximum - did BV's suggestion help? My guess is that you had a read-only disk (CD, DVD) selected when you did the new image thing - maybe. Does clicking on your hard disk icon, then doing the steps above help? I'm not at my Mac, so I can't provide direct help now. I'm not sure why you'd get the "Device Busy" message without being able to diagnose it at home.
Click to expand...

Yes, it worked from the Image menu instead of the icon. Many thanks guys...BTW, it is mainly for sensitive work-related documents, though a may put a few pictures in there too ;)
 
emw said:
The problem with this would be if you log into your computer, and step away for a period of time, anyone could see those files unless you log out everytime you leave your computer.

Sure, it's being a little paranoid, but the disk image thing is superb. And secure.
Click to expand...
No security system is going to give you very much protection against the kind of sloppiness that you described. Disk images move the problem, but they don't solve the problem. You mount your disk image and walk away for a period of time. How is this any different?
 
I use a shareware program called Crypt2 to encrypt files and folders. It uses 448bit blowfish cypher to encrypt, which would prolly take the virgina tech supercomputer years to crack. It is free for file encryption (i.e. Stuff that folder, then encrypt) or $5 per computer (based off a MAC address?) for file/folder compression/encryption.

Crypt2 securly erases all data used after encrypt/decrypt (except for the file/folder you decrypted, obviously. once you are done with it, you use the Secure Delete command to erase from your hard disk.)

Crypt2

About the Blowfish Cypher
 
MisterMe said:
No security system is going to give you very much protection against the kind of sloppiness that you described. Disk images move the problem, but they don't solve the problem. You mount your disk image and walk away for a period of time. How is this any different?
Click to expand...
True. But in the first case, every time you are logged onto your computer someone has complete access to everything on that system, including your sensitive files.

With the disk image method, you would have to mount it before anyone could get to it. There is still exposure, but it's not as significant, since you have more control over the mounting. But in the end, you still have to have some control.
 
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