What is to stop someone from using the reset password utlity?

[astromoose]

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I have my home folder encrypted using filevault. What is to stop someone from booting the OS X install disc and running password reset to change the password on my username?
Even if I had a firmware password set, could they just stick the drive in another machine and reset the password?

 

[electroshock]

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I have my home folder encrypted using filevault. What is to stop someone from booting the OS X install disc and running password reset to change the password on my username?
Even if I had a firmware password set, could they just stick the drive in another machine and reset the password?

They could change the password on your login account like these approaches, but it wouldn't change the password your data was encrypted with.

To decrypt, they will simply have to know the filevault password -- either yours or the master FileVault password. If they do not know either password, then they simply cannot decrypt the data.

 

[astromoose]

They could change the password on your login account like these approaches, but it wouldn't change the password your data was encrypted with.

To decrypt, they will simply have to know the filevault password -- either yours or the master FileVault password. If they do not know either password, then they simply cannot decrypt the data.

For example if my macbookpro were to get stolen: could someone not change the login password for the encrypted account with password reset, then reboot, login to that account, and have access to everything in that accounts home folder?

 

[melchior]

you can also set a firmware password which would prevent booting from any source without that password

 

[devburke]

you can also set a firmware password which would prevent booting from any source without that password

Read the OP again…

Even if I had a firmware password set, could they just stick the drive in another machine and reset the password?

And OP, here you said…

For example if my macbookpro were to get stolen: could someone not change the login password for the encrypted account with password reset, then reboot, login to that account, and have access to everything in that accounts home folder?

But as electroshock said…

They could change the password on your login account like these approaches, but it wouldn't change the password your data was encrypted with.

To decrypt, they will simply have to know the filevault password -- either yours or the master FileVault password. If they do not know either password, then they simply cannot decrypt the data.

All sorted out? The password you login with is part of how FileVault encrypts your files. So even if you change your password using the reset utility, the password they’re encrypted with is needed to decrypt them. That’s why this warning is there:

WARNING: Your files will be encrypted using your login password. If you forget your login password and you don’t know the master password, your data will be lost.

The short answer, or if you don’t understand all the technical stuff, is that they still wouldn’t be able to get your data if it was encrypted with FileVault.

 

[astromoose]

You are right.
If you try and do what i described it comes up with a dialogue that says "Your user account password is different from your FileVault password." And you must enter the old password to gain access...

Thanks!