Filed under: How-tos
Secure your Mac: Crouching user, hidden folder
Here are a few very simple steps you can take to enhance your Mac's security - not exactly the U.S. Government's Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, but enough to thwart many end-users.
Create a guest user account
Occasionally, someone will ask me, "May I quickly check my email on your computer? Just real quick..." (often these are Windows users who need an excuse to play with the MacBook Pro). "Sure," I say, but before I hand over the reigns, I switch to my guest user account. Here's how you can create one.
Create a hidden folder
Mac OS X automatically hides a folder that begins with a period. We can use this to our advantage and create a secret folder. However, it's not as easy as creating a folder in the Finder and naming it ".MyPrivateStuff." But it's not difficult, either.
So how do you access that folder from the Finder? Navigate to your Home folder (open a new window and click the little house in the left sidebar). Now, select "Go to folder..." from the menu bar. Enter the name of the folder you created, including the period (in my case, .MyPrivateStuff). Presto! Your hidden folder appears in the Finder window. Now populate it with your "secret" stuff (financial in nature, of course).
One caveat: The Finder "remembers" the last folder you visited with this method, so be sure to "Go to..." a benign folder before you walk away.
Combine the two tips
If you really want to get fancy, combine the two tips: Create a new user account that does nothing but store your secret folder(s).
Again, this isn't military-grade security, but simple techniques that you can use as an extra layer of protection for some of your stuff. Good luck.
Create a guest user account
Occasionally, someone will ask me, "May I quickly check my email on your computer? Just real quick..." (often these are Windows users who need an excuse to play with the MacBook Pro). "Sure," I say, but before I hand over the reigns, I switch to my guest user account. Here's how you can create one.- Click System Preferences, then Accounts
- Click the small "+" icon at the bottom of the window
- In the sheet that appears, set up your guest account. I got fancy and named mine "guest," with a password of "guestpw," but you can choose whatever you like.
- De-select "Allow user to administer this computer."
Create a hidden folder
Mac OS X automatically hides a folder that begins with a period. We can use this to our advantage and create a secret folder. However, it's not as easy as creating a folder in the Finder and naming it ".MyPrivateStuff." But it's not difficult, either.
- Open Terminal. By default, you're in your Home directory
- Create a new folder with a "." as the first character using the "mkdir" command, like this: mkdir .MyPrivateStuff
- Hit return. You're done!
So how do you access that folder from the Finder? Navigate to your Home folder (open a new window and click the little house in the left sidebar). Now, select "Go to folder..." from the menu bar. Enter the name of the folder you created, including the period (in my case, .MyPrivateStuff). Presto! Your hidden folder appears in the Finder window. Now populate it with your "secret" stuff (financial in nature, of course). One caveat: The Finder "remembers" the last folder you visited with this method, so be sure to "Go to..." a benign folder before you walk away.
Combine the two tips
If you really want to get fancy, combine the two tips: Create a new user account that does nothing but store your secret folder(s).
Again, this isn't military-grade security, but simple techniques that you can use as an extra layer of protection for some of your stuff. Good luck.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Josh said 4:55PM on 9-17-2007
And whereby "some of your stuff" means "porn"?
Reply
Christian said 5:10PM on 9-17-2007
Haha, "stuff"
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bama said 5:15PM on 9-17-2007
This is probably along the lines of a stupid question, but how *exactly* to you create a new folder when you're in Terminal? Like I said, probably obvious, but I'm still getting used to my Mac.
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Martin said 5:18PM on 9-17-2007
why not just turning on secure virtual memory + filevault for the main user (owner) and create a guest user?!
Reply
jeff said 5:38PM on 9-17-2007
HideOut, freeware and no need for the terminal.
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/15281
Reply
thethirdmoose said 5:39PM on 9-17-2007
bama: mkdir -foldername
Also, this is sort of a bad way to protect files. Here is a better way:
1) Open disk utility. (Applications->Utilities->Disk Utility)
2) Click "New Image" at the top
3) If you want to be supercool you can start the file name with a dot - then it will be hidden AND encrypted (Note: You will get a warning dialog, saying that files that start with a . are reserved for the system and will be hidden, but since that's what we want, go ahead and click use .)
4) If you hid the disk image, then you can only open it from disk utility. Otherwise, just double click it. You can drag and drop files into it once you have authenticated.
NB - Hiding files is NOT SECURE. If you go into terminal and type
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall finder
then it will show hidden files. However, a lot of dmg's that you download have special desktop backround layouts, and this will make that look ugly. Also, a lot of files that you don't care about will also appear. But hiding files is NOT SECURE. Encrypt them, for better safety.
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markusf said 5:39PM on 9-17-2007
Why create a hidden folder, when you can create an encrypted DMG file? Even if someone finds it, they won't be able to access the contents.
Reply
derek said 5:43PM on 9-17-2007
Haha, this might be the only TUAW post that has made me laugh. The title, and the "stuff"
Reply
Aaron said 5:49PM on 9-17-2007
For hidden files, just download Hide Out!
http://www.space-net.co.uk/projects.html
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blackevanuz said 5:59PM on 9-17-2007
how do i delete it???
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Sahil said 6:26PM on 9-17-2007
I crouched your mum's user... boosh!!
or um used your mum's croucher... boosh?
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Michael Rose said 6:43PM on 9-17-2007
#10 -- if you use the Go To trick in the post to navigate to the folder, you can then drag the proxy icon (the little folder at the top of the window, in the title bar) to the trash.
I could tell you how to delete it in Terminal, but I don't want the responsibility for you inadvertently erasing your home folder.
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bama said 7:06PM on 9-17-2007
great, thanks. I just wanted to hide things from people snooping through my computer, not people necessarily looking for anything, so this works great!
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Dave said 9:30PM on 9-17-2007
Don't forget that every time you access a file in that hidden folder it is viewable in recent items under the apple menu. You need to turn that off too.
Spotlight searches will also find your files.
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artifex said 10:35PM on 9-17-2007
Dave, you didn't tell people to ONLY leave that guest account enabled while it's needed.
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blackevanuz said 10:57PM on 9-17-2007
k thx
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Fiark said 11:03PM on 9-17-2007
I really loved this tip. Thanks.
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Rafe H. said 12:09AM on 9-18-2007
This is also excellent reading for the really curious:
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Rafe H. said 12:10AM on 9-18-2007
This is also excellent reading for the really curious:
http://www.nsa.gov/snac/downloads_macOSX10_4Server.cfm?MenuID=scg10.3.1.1
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Anthony said 2:25AM on 9-18-2007
You can also add or remove the front period using an FTP program. (You may have to enable show hidden files from a menu.)
Reply