Password Protecting Folders

Izzy

Izzy

luv my lil' malteaser
First off...I hope all of you are enjoying memorial day with family and friends...a big thank you goes out to all veterans today. We appreciate all that you've done... :D

I got a quick question for all of you in the know...

Do you know if there is any way to protect folders with a password under MacOSX? I have a folder full of sensitive docs and pictures that I don't want anyone but myself to have access to and even though there are other people who use my computer, they don't use it enough to warrant multiple users. So if I could just protect this one folder then I would be set...

Any suggestions on how this could be done?
 
Why don't you like this method, lethe?

And which method? The permissions or the disk image method?
 
these methods are OK. permissions are pretty natural for the OS, and easy to use. setting up a disk image for your sensitive files seems like a cludge. i did like the old method in OS9. if you have a file that is particularly sensitive, you password protect it. it does not have to be the same password as your login (login? there was no login in OS9....). you can specify a per file password and give that password to people who need to access the file. i used this method. i don t need it any more since OSX has permissions, but i can imagine a scenario where encryption of a file might be preferable.

i wonder if you can encrypt the file using the openssl command... what do you think, nkuvu?
 
ack! sorry guys...I even went through the FAQ forum to make sure that I wasn't posting a redundant question...

Looks like I need new glasses :rolleyes:

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction lethe...this way does seem kinda clunky, but if it's the only option then I have no choice
 
I have a program called "Crypt" that encrypts/decrypts files. Forgot what encryption it uses. Do a search at versiontracker, I believe it's freeware.

For most of my stuff, though, I just find it easier to use an encrypted disk image.
 
Originally posted by dricci
I have a program called "Crypt" that encrypts/decrypts files. Forgot what encryption it uses. Do a search at versiontracker, I believe it's freeware.

For most of my stuff, though, I just find it easier to use an encrypted disk image.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was just on versiontracker and I saw that program...I don't think it does folders though, and the reviews are horrible (one of them even said that it erased the original file). I'm almost afraid to try it! LOL

Also, what makes it difficult for me even to use the disk image method is that files are constantly being added/deleted from the folder, and making a new image every time is gonna be annoying
 
Hmm... This probably doesn't help you too much, but are the people who use your computer UNIX savvy? If they are not, I used to hide things on the computer by making an invisible folder, you know, one with a "." in front of its name? Since it won't show up on the Finder, and few people would fire up terminal on my Mac other than myself, it allowed me to hide my more sensitive documents.
 
Okay, first of all you don't need to make a new image all the time.

I've done the encrypted image thing for my finance files. I just mount the image when I want to use it, and it's like another folder. Easily found in /Volumes/whatever. Eject it when you're done, re-mount as necessary.

Second, there's a way to hide specific files and folders -- if you go to a Terminal and do an 'ls' you'll see /etc (for example) but not in the Finder. So you could avoid renaming it and just add it to the list of hidden folders. I don't remember where it was mentioned, but a search should bring it up.

I don't think it does folders though, and the reviews are horrible (one of them even said that it erased the original file). I'm almost afraid to try it!
Click to expand...
Always always always work on a backup when doing something you're not sure of. And make a backup before you do something that you're not sure of, also. (Repeated to emphasize ;) )

A quick glance at the openssl manpage makes it look like it might work, but since I've never used it for file encryption I can't be sure.
 
Originally posted by nkuvu
Okay, first of all you don't need to make a new image all the time.

I've done the encrypted image thing for my finance files. I just mount the image when I want to use it, and it's like another folder. Easily found in /Volumes/whatever. Eject it when you're done, re-mount as necessary.

Second, there's a way to hide specific files and folders -- if you go to a Terminal and do an 'ls' you'll see /etc (for example) but not in the Finder. So you could avoid renaming it and just add it to the list of hidden folders. I don't remember where it was mentioned, but a search should bring it up.


Always always always work on a backup when doing something you're not sure of. And make a backup before you do something that you're not sure of, also. (Repeated to emphasize ;) )

A quick glance at the openssl manpage makes it look like it might work, but since I've never used it for file encryption I can't be sure.
Click to expand...

LOL...thanks for the info nkuvu. Point taken... ;)

Making the folder invisible is a cool idea too...but when I tried to rename the folder with a period in front I got this error message, I'm sure there is a work-around though
 

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Originally posted by lethe
i wonder if you can encrypt the file using the openssl command... what do you think, nkuvu?
Click to expand...
Yup,
Code: 
openssl enc -in originalfile -out encryptedfile -bf
openssl enc -d -in encryptedfile -out plaintext -bf
Will encrypt (first line) originalfile with Blowfish, with the output going to encryptedfile. The second line decrypts.
 
[Sarcasm]
Hey, blb, your name's not Nkuvu. That question was directed to me!
[/Sarcasm]

Seriously, thanks for the info. What do you do for a living? Full time Unix guru? I've seen you give advice that makes my head spin (not necessarily referring to this, this seems pretty straightforward), and I don't feel like I'm a slouch at Unix...

Edit: Add stuff

You can rename a file to a .file by using the Terminal:
mv original_file_name .original_file_name
but this doesn't work for directories. To rename directories I had to do a two step process (but smarty-pants blb probably knows one command (that's a joke, no offense!))
cp -R folder_name .folder_name
rm -R folder_name
 
wow...all this command line scares me guys...LOL

I don't have the slightest idea where to start in the terminal...i've only ever used it once
 
I've asked this question before, as well. I wish someone could make a simple app (I'd even pay like $20 for it) that would act like a simple 'safe' where I could assign a password needed to open it and access the files inside.

I can't believe no one has done this .. it can't be that hard. Nor does it need to be fool proof, just something to keep pesky 'friends-of-roommates' baffled.
 
I agree with macko on this one. I have been looking for something like this for a long time as well. I don't want something that is industrially foolproof or something that would be cleared for military use to hide all of the nations secrets. I just want a nice little system addition where you could add a password to a folder. I don't want to encrypt the folder and do a bunch of unnecessary crap. I just want a password on the folder. You double-click the folder, you get a message requiring a password. I would think this should be so easy to do. I think it would be kind of nice if it could mimic or use the concept employed by .htaccess files. Create a .htaccess file in the folder you want to protect. Then if the system detects this file when you go to open it, it won't allow you until you use a username and pass that is specified with the .htaccess file. Can it really be that hard? I just want something that would keep the average nosey passing by snooper out of my sensitive files. It would also be nice if the terminal would disallow access to the folder as well, unless you know one of the usernames/passwords in the associated file specified by the .htaccess file. Otherwise you should be able to sudo to the folder with an administrative root password, but only from the terminal, not the GUI. The GUI should only accept usernames/passwords associated with the .htaccess type file.
 
Originally posted by nkuvu
[Sarcasm]
Hey, blb, your name's not Nkuvu. That question was directed to me!
[/Sarcasm]
Click to expand...
Yeah, I noticed that, but you did reply since that question without an answer, so I believe that makes it open season...


...but this doesn't work for directories. To rename directories I had to do a two step process (but smarty-pants blb probably knows one command (that's a joke, no offense!))
cp -R folder_name .folder_name
rm -R folder_name
Click to expand...
When you do the mv dir .dir make sure there isn't a slash at the end (like what happens if you use tab-completion)
Code: 
$ mkdir test
$ mv test/ .test
mv: rename test/ to .test: Is a directory
$ mv test .test
$ ls -ld .test
drwxr-xr-x  2 blb  staff  24 May 28 00:54 .test/
 
Amen and Amen! Macko and RHITMacMan are right on the money..that's exactly what I need as well. Snoopy roommates and friends of roommates are the scurge of all sensitive data. Programmers take note, there is a market for this type of product. Although I don't see why apple couldn't implement something like this into the OS...it seems like a pretty basic function.
 
Thanks, blb -- that was exactly the problem when I tried to use mv. As far as answering questions go, I couldn't care less who answers it as long as the answer is correct. And your answer was a lot more correct than mine. ;)

Way back in the day when I was using System 6 and System 7.5, I was working in a computer lab at the community college. We had a program called FolderBolt that did exactly what you're looking for -- password protect folders, no encryption.

Also, when I first got over to the Mac world I wanted the same thing, and found a commercial program to do it. Folder... Safe... something. I'll try to find it. The reason I decided not to use it was because I wanted a solution that didn't cost money, and the image technique works fine for me.
 
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