Encrypting a Thumbdrive

[doubledee]

This is embarrassing, but I have learned so much here at MacRumors in the last year that I can't remember everything?!


How do I encrypt a Thumb-Drive using Mountain Lion?


I want to back up some code that I wrote and encrypt the entire USB drive so I can give it to someone for safe keeping.

Sincerely,


Debbie

 

[DeltaMac]

Mountain Lion, and later OS X versions:
Insert your thumb drive.
When it mounts on the desktop, right-click on the thumb drive icon, and choose "Encrypt volume" from the menu.

 

[chown33]

Personally, I wouldn't use an encrypted disk. Instead, I'd create an encrypted disk-image on the flash drive, then mount that image and copy the files to it. Then eject the image, then the drive.

The reason for disk-images is simple: you can have more than one on a flash drive. That also means each one can have a separate password. It also means you can make backups of the encrypted data without ever decrypting it (i.e. backup or copy the disk-image, which does not require a password).

Encrypted disk-images can be made in Disk Utility.app. Click the "New Image" tool from its default toolbar, and a dialog appears showing the location and popups for format and encryption options.

 

[doubledee]

Personally, I wouldn't use an encrypted disk. Instead, I'd create an encrypted disk-image on the flash drive,

What exactly is the difference and what does that mean? (Sorry, this is sorta Greek to me...)

then mount that image

What does that mean and how would I do that?

It also means you can make backups of the encrypted data without ever decrypting it (i.e. backup or copy the disk-image, which does not require a password).

Why is that?

So you are saying I could take something encrypted and copy it to an image but not to a disk?

Encrypted disk-images can be made in Disk Utility.app. Click the "New Image" tool from its default toolbar, and a dialog appears showing the location and popups for format and encryption options.

I see these fields...

Save As:
Where:
Name:
Size:
Format:
Encryption:
Partition:
Image Format:

What should I select for every field starting with the 4th one?

Thanks for trying to help, but as you can see I again need some hand-holding until I get the basics down...

Sincerely,


Debbie

 

[chown33]

What have you tried? Be specific.


Did you try searching for what a disk image is?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_image
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Disk_Image

Those links are in the first page of google results simply searching for keywords disk image.


In Disk Utility, did you actually click on the popups and look at what the options are? If you did, did you then try looking for further information on them?

Where did you look? What did you find?

Searching for keywords disk utility disk image easily finds these articles:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1578
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph5841

Disk Utility also has a Help menu.


I think part of the reason you think you need hand-holding is because you're unwilling to look for answers on your own. I understand that you come here for assistance, but why aren't you first assisting yourself by looking for things that can be easily found before asking here?

http://www.mikeash.com/getting_answers.html

http://mattgemmell.com/what-have-you-tried/