Encryption possible?

[MBP*]

At the moment I have a USB and an external HDD for time machine, and I'll like to add some protection in the even of my laptop getting stolen or the like.

Although I have a password to gain access to the account, I know it's possible for people to get the HDD out and access the data that way. How can I encrypt the data so it can only be accessed if a password is known. Similarly, can this be done to timemachine backups, or other data such as that on an external HDD?

thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

At the moment I have a USB and an external HDD for time machine, and I'll like to add some protection in the even of my laptop getting stolen or the like.

Although I have a password to gain access to the account, I know it's possible for people to get the HDD out and access the data that way. How can I encrypt the data so it can only be accessed if a password is known. Similarly, can this be done to timemachine backups, or other data such as that on an external HDD?

thanks

Yes. Very easily. Open System Preferences and go to the Security & Privacy pane then go to the FileVault tab and turn on Fielvault encryption for your drive. This encrypts the entire drive and if stolen nobody will be able to access your data. See this.

You really should turn this on, because the current login password you are using can very easily be reset and bypassed.

Then while still in System Prefs go to the Time Machine pane and click select disk and check the box there to encrypt the backup disk. See this.

 

[KALLT]

Weaselboy is absolutely correct. I would like to add that if you're using external drives for other purposes than Time Machine, you can encrypt those too either in Finder directly or with Disk Utility.

http://osxdaily.com/2012/09/17/how-to-encrypt-an-external-drive-quickly-in-mac-os-x/

 

[MBP*]

Thanks, but what about data on my laptop itself?

 

[simonsi]

Filevault as weaselboy referred to will encrypt the whole drive on your machine.

 

[MBP*]

Thanks all.

For the time machine encryption, the option is greyed out, so I cannot tick it. But I am currently encrypting through the FileVault which says it's encrypting my laptop HD which is fine.

But for the external HDD encryption, the file menu option isn't there when I right click the disk, either?

 

[Sangoma]

You can only encrypt the external drive if it it's formatted as Mac O/S. Fat32 is not supported for encryption

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks all.

For the time machine encryption, the option is greyed out, so I cannot tick it. But I am currently encrypting through the FileVault which says it's encrypting my laptop HD which is fine.

But for the external HDD encryption, the file menu option isn't there when I right click the disk, either?

I suspect Sangoma hit on your problem. First make sure there is nothing on the disk you want, then open Disk Utility and go to the erase tab and select the disk in the left column. Then select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) in the dropdown list and apply the format. Now try checking the encrypt box again in Time Machine settings.

 

[KALLT]

I suspect Sangoma hit on your problem. First make sure there is nothing on the disk you want, then open Disk Utility and go to the erase tab and select the disk in the left column. Then select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) in the dropdown list and apply the format. Now try checking the encrypt box again in Time Machine settings.

They might also choose 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)' immediately, since they cannot avoid reformatting the drives anyway. The result will be the same.

 

[MBP*]

So I need to format my current Time Machine HD to enable encryption? In other words, TM encryption can only be enabled at the start?

The drive to which TM is backing up to is formatted to Mac OS already.

 

[KALLT]

So I need to format my current Time Machine HD to enable encryption? In other words, TM encryption can only be enabled at the start?

The drive to which TM is backing up to is formatted to Mac OS already.

It is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)? That's odd, normally this format should allow only-the-fly encryption.

 

[MBP*]

It is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)? That's odd, normally this format should allow only-the-fly encryption.

Yes it's journaled.

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It is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)? That's odd, normally this format should allow only-the-fly encryption.

Just to add. I've right clicked the disk on my desktop and asked to encrypt it that way, this is the same disk for TM. I don't know whether doing it via TM or the above way has the same effect?

 

[KALLT]

Yes it's journaled.

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Just to add. I've right clicked the disk on my desktop and asked to encrypt it that way, this is the same disk for TM. I don't know whether doing it via TM or the above way has the same effect?

Should be the same. When I compare my disks on Disk Utility, it's the same thing.

 

[grahamperrin]

diskutil list ; diskutil coreStorage list

Yes it's journaled. …

Please run the following command in Terminal then paste the output to this topic. Hint: use the # button to paste as code.

diskutil list ; diskutil coreStorage list