Encrypted disk image

Magnus · 2nd July 2006, 20:22

What do you do if there is some information on your Mac that you want to keep away from prying eyes? Sure you can activate FileVault but that encrypts your entire home folder which for some is overkill. You can also use special encryption software, but why spend money when a good solution is already there in Mac OS X for free?

The solution is to create an encrypted disk image with Disk Utility. A disk image is really a file that sits on your hard drive or somewhere else that really acts as a disk on its own. If you've downloaded software for your Mac you have probably come across many disk images.

1) So go ahead and start Disk Utility (it's in Applications > Utilities).

2) Click on New Image in the toolbar.

3) Select where to save the image, that it should be encrypted, and pick a size. A word of warning: the larger you make your disk image, the longer it's going to take to encrypt it. You can select to make a "sparse disk image" or a "read/write disk image". A sparse disk image can grow as you put more stuff in it, while the other type is fixed size, as far as I know.

4) Now you have a disk image that you can save stuff to. Be sure to unmount the image as soon as you are done with it so that unauthorized users cannot get access to your information.

snow7 · 6th July 2006, 07:00

wow. interesting!

Magnus · 6th July 2006, 07:28

It's something that comes with every Mac and yet many users don't know about it. If you want to keep some files a bit protected it's a good way.

Marchies · 4th October 2007, 22:19

=) It works..Thanks!

Magnus · 5th October 2007, 07:49

Glad to hear it.

iHappy · 27th August 2008, 14:15

great way to hide secret stuff :P
i have 1 small little question ... can the disk be deleted or not ?after im done with it

Magnus · 27th August 2008, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by iHappy

great way to hide secret stuff :P
i have 1 small little question ... can the disk be deleted or not ?after im done with it

Sure. The encrypted disk image is really only a file on the hard drive. If you don't want it anymore you can delete it.

noixe · 27th August 2008, 18:12

excellent tip magnus

altho was aware of it, but seems like many wernt, excellent catch

and an excellent way of protecting stff

fangpyre · 27th August 2008, 19:16

I knew about this feature.
But I never thought of using it that way.

Nice

iHappy · 27th August 2008, 19:37

thanx .. for the quick answer :P
iHappy

2nd July 2006, 20:22	#1 (permalink)
Magnus Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dubai Posts: 8,397	Encrypted disk image What do you do if there is some information on your Mac that you want to keep away from prying eyes? Sure you can activate FileVault but that encrypts your entire home folder which for some is overkill. You can also use special encryption software, but why spend money when a good solution is already there in Mac OS X for free? The solution is to create an encrypted disk image with Disk Utility. A disk image is really a file that sits on your hard drive or somewhere else that really acts as a disk on its own. If you've downloaded software for your Mac you have probably come across many disk images. 1) So go ahead and start Disk Utility (it's in Applications > Utilities). 2) Click on New Image in the toolbar. 3) Select where to save the image, that it should be encrypted, and pick a size. A word of warning: the larger you make your disk image, the longer it's going to take to encrypt it. You can select to make a "sparse disk image" or a "read/write disk image". A sparse disk image can grow as you put more stuff in it, while the other type is fixed size, as far as I know. 4) Now you have a disk image that you can save stuff to. Be sure to unmount the image as soon as you are done with it so that unauthorized users cannot get access to your information.

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6th July 2006, 07:00	#2 (permalink)
snow7 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Dubai Posts: 234	wow. interesting!

6th July 2006, 07:28	#3 (permalink)
Magnus Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dubai Posts: 8,397	It's something that comes with every Mac and yet many users don't know about it. If you want to keep some files a bit protected it's a good way.

4th October 2007, 22:19	#4 (permalink)
Marchies Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 543	=) It works..Thanks!

5th October 2007, 07:49	#5 (permalink)
Magnus Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Dubai Posts: 8,397	Glad to hear it.

27th August 2008, 14:15	#6 (permalink)
iHappy Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 17	great way to hide secret stuff :P i have 1 small little question ... can the disk be deleted or not ?after im done with it

27th August 2008, 18:12	#8 (permalink)
noixe Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 372	excellent tip magnus altho was aware of it, but seems like many wernt, excellent catch and an excellent way of protecting stff

27th August 2008, 19:16	#9 (permalink)
fangpyre Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 1,417	I knew about this feature. But I never thought of using it that way. Nice

27th August 2008, 19:37	#10 (permalink)
iHappy Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 17	thanx .. for the quick answer :P iHappy