Possible? Password protecting external drives

Is it possible to make all external drives password protected to make changes to, or even access? I can't find anything obvious particularly in "disc utility" or elsewhere.
Thanks, Chris

No, OS X provides no such facility. You can get third-party software that can do that. Look for it at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.
What you can do instead is to create an encrypted disc image using Disk Utility and put the image on the external drive. Then move whatever you want secured onto the disc image file. Delete the originals. When the disc image is mounted it will require a password to access whatever is stored on it. If you want to be able read and write data on the disc image then make it a read/write image file when you create it.

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Totally clueless here: password protecting external drive for TM?

Hi guys,
sorry I'm really ignorant on the point and I hope you will help me.
I have an ibookg4 with 10.5.1...I'm the only user of my mac but I have the mac asking for username and password everytime it runs so to protect my data from other people.
Now, I bought a very simple Lacie hard drive for backingup with TM. The question is: can now some people take the Lacie hard drive, log it into their macs (or pc too?) and simply surf through all my data? Because in that way my password protection on my ibook would be totally useless...
I don't wanna have people having access to the data on my mac. The data on my backup are safe? If not, how can I protect them.
Sorry for my ignorance

Currently there is no password protection or encryption supported for Time Machine (TM). So the simple solution is to disconnect the drive and use physical protection such as putting it in a locked box. However, you can use File Vault in OS X to encrypt your home directory, and those files are backed up by TM in the protected format.
See
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2007111404402514
for some more related information.
Before using it, you might want to learn details about file vault by using help on the Finder and also by doing a websearch. Do remember those password(s) when you use it, and when the next major release (e.g., 10.6) happens, you may want to consider an unencrypted bootable back up (back up with Carbon Copy Cloner or similar after turning off file vault) to move the data to the new system.

Password Protected External hard drive

I have a password protected external hard drive that I want to format so I can give it to a friend. When you format the drive does the password protection also get erased? Is there anything essential that I need to know before doing this? Thanks for your help!

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
If it's a WD MyBook, I'm not sure. I formatted and partitioned a MyBook for a friend, but was never able to get rid of the password protection so we just left it. It may be possible to do it, but I don't know how. Definitely check it out, and if the password is still required, be sure to pass it on to your friend.
Good luck!

Remove password from external drive

hi used disk utility to add a password to external drive and do not remember it even with the hint i provided... anyway to remove this to use the drive? i don't care if i lose the data- i need to use the drive.
thank you!

In Disk Utility, does it allow you to Erase it once you highlight it?

Checking I still have a password protected external hard drive

I recently got a new mac (went from a 2009 Lion imac to a 2012 Mavericks imac) and i used time machine to do i (time machine is also encrypted/passworded) All is well.
I use an external 2TB hard drive to store data on and i had set this drive up on the 2009 imac formatted with a password which is saved on my keychain.
When i upgraded everything transfered ok but the time machine drive asked for password, i entered it and again no issues. The 2TB drive however (i turn it off when not in use) didnt ask for a password at all, it works fine but it no longer requires a password?
The other issue i had recently was the fact that randomly when turning the drive on it DID as for the password, which when i entered it... it was wrong? even though it is entered correctly 100%. I then turned the drive off and on again and boom it works, without asking for a password.
So i need to know if its password protected or not! how?

i formatted the hard drive and did it in disk utility, which means a full day or so of formatting and rebacking up, not really viable.

Password Protect external hard drive, it hasn't worked, why?

Hi, I've surfed around and read how to password protect an external hard drive and I encrypted it, etc as told.
However, and this will likely show my ignorance but isn't that the point of asking a question...
The thing is, it's made the disk image that requires a password, but the hard drive can be ejected and put in and accessed without a password. The disk image is protected, permanently there (so maybe now it's taking up space on my hard drive, and the actual external hard drive is the same as it ever was and can be accessed without any password.
Is there something I've done wrong, or something I'm not understanding about the concept?
Thanks in advance.
Message was edited by: NeanderCuz

Hi-
Welcome to Discussions!
Double clicking the disk image should respond with a password request.
Does yours work that way?
If so, you didn't do anything wrong, as far as the encrypted disk image goes.
That's about all that you can do.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1578
To encrypt the entire drive and make it inaccessible without password, this might be what you want:
http://www.truecrypt.org/

Password protecting external hard drive

Hi all,
I have a western digital 500gb usb 2.0, and was wondering if there is a way that you can make it require a password for opening. I do not want to make alias' and ghost files etc. just want to know if there is a way of making it simply, password or no access.
Cheers!

Use Disk Utility to create a secure disk image on the external drive, and store your data in that. The drive will mount, but to get to the data in the encrypted disk image file on the drive you would need the password. (Note that if you lose the password, the data are gone forever!)
To learn how to create a secure disk image, open Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, click on Help menu > DU Help, and search for "secure disk image".
Hope this helps...

Does Mac OS firewall also protect external drive connected to iBook?

Hi all,
I have an iBook G4 to which I've connected an iomega external firewire drive divided into two partitions (a clone of my iBook, plus a section used for photo storage).
I have the firewall turn ON in my iBook's system preferences, and none of the sharing options are enabled.
I'm wondering if this firewall will also protect my external drive?
I'm connected (authorised user) to the internet via airport coming from a network set up by my landlord, who lives downstairs.
I'm wondering if it's OK to leave the ext. drive plugged in all the time (if it's protected by the firewall), or should I unplug it when not in use?
Anyone know?
Thanks

The external hard disk drive is accessed via your computer,
so the only way an external off-site attack could be performed
would be through the System; it has the Firewall, if turned on.
Unless the external hard disk drive is of the type or configured
to be accessed remotely or through some wireless setup to
share it via a base station or other device for backups or other
uses, it should be as safe as the hard drive in the Mac. But, if
the external drive is on an unsecure wireless network for shared
use, then the settings of the wireless base station should be set
and when not present, if no shared use is expected or desired,
an external unit could be unmounted from the desktop & powered
off until the next time it is needed.
So, under normal wire-connected use, an external drive should be
protected and as secure as the System itself; with some exception.
It is possible to change settings inside the computer and allow
other users or persons with access, to get into a computer remotely.
If you do not have these possibilities open, they can't gain access.
Hopefully this helps...
Good luck & happy computing!

Password protect thumb drive with exfat format.

I'm trying to password protect a thumb drive but keep getting "A GUID Partition Table (GPT) partitioning scheme is required". I want to format it to exfat but it won't let me do that and password protect my thumb drive.

Hello there! Welcome to the forums @vikrantislav ,
I read about the issue you are having with saving your scans to a USB drive formatted as ExFat. I have done a few searches for this and I'd suggest checking this post from my colleague @Gemini02 . Click here to see it, I hope it helps!
Re: Scanning to USB Flash Drive does not create a PDF file
Have a great weekend!
R a i n b o w 7000I work on behalf of HP
Click the “Kudos Thumbs Up" at the bottom of this post to say
“Thanks” for helping!
Click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution!

Does "Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible) work with external drive

I have an external backup drive which I use for doing daily backups. I have set an iCal alarm daily to remind me to turn the hdd on at the right time.
When Time Machine comes along in a couple weeks, I am going to be leaving this drive on all the time while I'm working on my computer but was wondering if the energy savings mode of putting the hard drive to sleep applies to external USB drives as well? Would be nice to know that when I put my computer to sleep at the end of the day that my external drive also goes to sleep. I'm not sure if this has to be a function of the external box or if OS X can shut off the drive.
Any wisdom?

You can test this very easily:
The "Put the hard disk(S) to sleep when possible" default time is 10 minutes of inactivity.
Just leave your Mac alone for 10 minutes: you should hear both drives spinning down. If the external noise was not clear enough, you can then "wake it up" by double-clicking its icon on the desktop:
If it was spun down, you'll have to wait a couple of seconds or so, with the spinning colored beachball, while it is spinning up again.
Note that if you're performing a task that uses only you Mac's internal HD, the external should spin down while you're using your Mac. Then if double-clicking its icon shows the colored spinning beachball stalling, it's very clear it goes to sleep as intended.
Most of the external hard drives should be able to spin down, at least all my LaCie do it with no problem.

How to password protect external hard disk drives

Hi All,
I have purchased and external USB port hard disk. The problem with it is anyone just plug it to thier computers USB port and use it as we use our windows explorer to browse the filesystem. However whenever I plug to my computers USB port it should prompt me for a password and once authenticated it should allow me to browse the filesystem of my external hard disk. How can I achieve this using java ?
Thanks & Regards,
Kumar.

If you really want this to work properly, you will have to write a DLL for Windows that will intercept the appropriate filesystem call and prompt you for a password. Otherwise, another option would be:
Create a standalone Java application that will read/write from the hard drive
Use Java Cryptography extension for all read/writes to the hard drive (encrypt onto hard drive, decrypt into memory or internal hard drive)
Have your sign-on required to use the Java application (and hence, decrypt the contents of the drive)
Use passphrase-based symmetric encryption so that the password can be the actual key for the encryption/decryption (or if you want, have that key unlock a larger symmetric key also encrypted on the drive)- Saish
"My karma ran over your dogma." - Anon

How to password protect external disk

I havve a segate external hard drive that I would liketo store sensitive data on. Is there a way to require a password to enable mounting?

Yes, by configuring it as an encrypted drive via Disk Utility.

Can I configure an external drive to be password protected or do I need to buy an external hard drive already password enabled

I asked at a Hong Kong apple shop if they had password protected external drives. They didn't, I bought one anyway.
I'm wondering can I configure this drive. If yes, what do I need to do?

This looks like the easiest and most direct method and since it uses Disk Utility it would work on any OS.
http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/25/password-protect-external-drive-mac-encrypted-par tition/

Pass word protected flash drive?

Any easy way to password protect a usb flash drive?

Sure thing
Espionage
http://www.taoeffect.com/espionage/
thats encryption and access only by complex password
There are easier ways, but also not as protected.
Password Protect an External Drive in Mac OS X with Encrypted Partitions
http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/25/password-protect-external-drive-mac-encrypted-par tition/

How do I password protect an external hard drive?

I'm using a 500 GB external hard drive to back up my PowerMac. I'd like to find a simple, robust "password protection" tool or software, to password protect this drive, in case it falls in to nefarious hands. If it's free, that's fine, but I'm also happy to buy. Any idea's?
Thanks!

Hi-
The best protection for your data, is to maintain the data as a encrypted disk image. This will provide both the need for a password, as well as decryption. Creating a "sparse image" will require a password to open:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107333
Ext. HDD passwords, in OS X, are just permissions, which can be changed, or hacked, and don't give much protection.

Possible? Password protecting external drives

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