The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Third-party file encryption / encrypted images with Time Machine

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by exi, Nov 1, 2009.

  1. exi

    exi Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    My understanding is that FileVault's shortcomings are such:

    - Documented vulnerabilities
    - Requires that user be logged off to backup with Time Machine

    I have a few things on my notebook that I would like to be kept safe in the event of a loss or theft. I used to use AxCrypt on Windows for this, but there are no OSX builds for it, so what I'm wondering is this:

    - If I create an encrypted image and use it like a TrueCrypt/Cryptainer partition, will Time Machine back the image up as it changes over time like any other file?
    - Is there any reason I shouldn't do that over some other way of keeping things safe?

    Thanks in advance.
     
    exi, Nov 1, 2009
    #1
  2. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,354
    Messages:
    2,705
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    56
    you can use trucrypt. but for time machine to actually work you will need to log off your user. TM has rather crappy support for file encryption and encrypted images
     
    crazycanuk, Nov 2, 2009
    #2
  3. exi

    exi Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Wait a second. I thought that TM required a logoff only for people using FileVault; are .img files that are created within OSX and encrypted backed up like any other file?
     
    exi, Nov 2, 2009
    #3
  4. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,354
    Messages:
    2,705
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    56
    most encryption software keeps the .iso active for on the fly encryption/decryption ... it is rare for TM to backup en encryption image when the user is logged on. FV is not the only one needing a user logoff and it is annoying
     
    crazycanuk, Nov 3, 2009
    #4
  5. exi

    exi Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Well, I guess that limits my choices to either something third-party a la Cryptainer/TrueCrypt, or -- more easily -- using OSX's built-in capability to create an encrypted image.

    In the event that the encrypted image is neither open nor mounted when a backup routine runs via Time Machine, it still wouldn't be backed up?
     
    exi, Nov 3, 2009
    #5
  6. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,354
    Messages:
    2,705
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Doesnt seem to be, for some reason OSX keeps an encryption container open and TM just bypasses it as if it is an open, read only file.

    lets just say im finding TM a PITA for network backups
     
    crazycanuk, Nov 3, 2009
    #6
  7. exi

    exi Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Have not tested it, but looking at TM backups, it appears that the .sparseimage is appearing in the backups. Assuming the contents would be there (if I had anything in it yet); will have to test that.
     
    exi, Nov 3, 2009
    #7
  8. crazycanuk

    crazycanuk Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,354
    Messages:
    2,705
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    56
    this is good, let me know how it goes ... and what you are backing up to as well. if it works for you I may concider giving it another go
     
    crazycanuk, Nov 3, 2009
    #8