MacBook Pro Security

slickback · 16 Mar 2009 at 10:15

Is it possible to set a start-up BIOS password to prevent anyone from using my MacBook Pro in the event it was ever stolen?

Speedy · 16 Mar 2009 at 11:02

Yes this is possible. Insert the install disc of Mac OS X, and hold down the C key while turning on the macbook. When the installation screen appears, you can set a system password in the Utilities menu.

LordSplodge · 16 Mar 2009 at 13:36

Technically Macs don't have a BIOS

However see above!

slickback · 16 Mar 2009 at 13:50

Would it be possible for someone to get round the system password?

Speedy · 16 Mar 2009 at 13:58

slickback said:
Would it be possible for someone to get round the system password?

Yeah, by just inserting a Mac OS X disc and resetting the password.

But there is a company that has some software to trace a stolen Macbook. I don't remember the name though...

Cybertronic · 16 Mar 2009 at 15:02

Speedy said:
Yeah, by just inserting a Mac OS X disc and resetting the password.

If you insert the Mac OS X disc, you can only reset the user account password, not the EFI (Mac's version of BIOS) password. To reset the EFI password you could follow these instructions.

Encrypting the hard drive is probably the best security you can use since both user account and EFI passwords can by easily bypassed unlike hard drive encryption.

slickback · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:54

What's the best hard drive encryption app for the Mac?

You would think that with the MacBook / MacBook Pro being so expensive that apple would implement some sort of security measures to stop thieves from using your notebook if it was to get stolen.

Feek · 17 Mar 2009 at 10:10

PGP Whole Disk Encryption

yashiro · 10 May 2009 at 19:43

Are there any other ways to secure a Macbook that aren't a joke to circumvent?

Cybertronic · 10 May 2009 at 20:43

Hard drive encryption as mentioned in this thread :confused:

yashiro · 10 May 2009 at 20:45

Note the word other.

Feek · 10 May 2009 at 20:48

yashiro said:
Note the word other.

Perhaps it's the only real secure method and there is no "other".

Any system password can be circumvented quite easily.

MagicBoy · 10 May 2009 at 20:49

Why not use Filevault to encrypt the user files?

Fillado · 10 May 2009 at 20:50

Why hasn't anyone mentioned FileVault? It's built in and effective

Pretty much to secure your Mac to an insane degree:

Strong EFI Password
Strong User Account Password
FileVault turned on
Secure Virtual Memory turned on

Feek · 10 May 2009 at 20:57

Bes · 11 May 2009 at 10:10

How does drive encryption affect read/ write performance?

Beansprout · 11 May 2009 at 10:13

FileVault is excellent

It's so secure, I forgot my master password

Still know my user account password phew

Fillado · 11 May 2009 at 10:29

Bes said:
How does drive encryption affect read/ write performance?

Since it is decrypting/encrypting files on-the-fly it will affect it somewhat. But that's why FileVault is the best option - it only encrypts your Home folder (which is the only place personal information is (should be!) stored).

For example if you were loading say Safari. The application itself will launch at full speed since it isn't encrypted but then your settings, history and bookmarks would have to be decrypted.

I would guess a large iPhoto library (since this is all stored in your Home folder) would suffer somewhat though.

It's better than full-disk encryption, worse then no encryption. Pretty much the best performance you'll get if you need to encrypt data

Cybertronic · 11 May 2009 at 14:46

FileVault will slow down your Mac a lot if you want shut it down or log out and you will be waiting for an awful long time :eek:

Beansprout · 11 May 2009 at 14:48

Cybertronic said:
FileVault will slow down your Mac a lot if you want shut it down or log out and you will be waiting for an awful long time

No you won't.....only either if you've removed several Gb data and choose to let it tidy up