Read Me First - Take Control of FileVault (1.1) (2015)

Take Control of FileVault (1.1) (2015)

Read Me First

Welcome to Take Control of FileVault, version 1.1, published in January 2015 by TidBITS Publishing Inc. This book was written by Joe Kissell and edited by Scholle McFarland.

This book explains how to use Mac OS X’s FileVault feature for encrypting the data on your Mac. It also explains how to encrypt additional internal and external disks, create encrypted backups, remotely erase a lost or stolen Mac, and perform advanced FileVault tasks on the command line.

If you want to share this ebook with a friend, we ask that you do so as you would with a physical book: “lend” it for a quick look, but ask your friend to buy a copy for careful reading or reference. Discounted classroom and Mac user group copies are available.

Copyright © 2015, alt concepts inc. All rights reserved.

Updates and More

You can access extras related to this ebook on the Web (use the link in Ebook Extras, near the end; it’s available only to purchasers). On the ebook’s Take Control Extras page, you can:

· Download any available new version of the ebook for free, or buy any subsequent edition at a discount.

· Download various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and Mobipocket. (Learn about reading on mobile devices on our Device Advice page.)

· Read the ebook’s blog. You may find new tips or information, links to author interviews, and update plans for the ebook.

If you bought this ebook from the Take Control Web site, it has been added to your account, where you can download it in other formats and access any future updates. However, if you bought this ebook elsewhere, you can add it to your account manually; see Ebook Extras.

Basics

To review background information that might help you understand this book better, such as finding System Preferences and working with files in the Finder, read Tonya Engst’s free ebook Read Me First: A Take Control Crash Course, available for free on the Web or as a standalone ebook in PDF, EPUB, and the Kindle’s Mobipocket format.

What’s New in Version 1.1

Version 1.1 of this book is a minor update mainly to address changes to the way FileVault works in OS X 10.10 Yosemite (while retaining instructions for earlier versions of OS X) and to respond to reader inquiries. The main changes are as follows:

· Answered two new questions in The FileVault FAQ: Why is FileVault Better Than Using a Good Login Password? and Does FileVault Substitute for Using a Firmware Password (or Vice-versa)?

· Updated the What Restrictions Does FileVault Impose? topic to include changes in Yosemite’s behavior regarding mandatory password entry, clarify FileVault’s behavior with scheduled events and S.M.A.R.T. monitoring, and mention the absence of Recovery HD in Startup Manager when FileVault is active

· Significantly revised Turn On FileVault and Reset a Lost Password to explain the new way Yosemite handles recovery options (when you lose or forget your password)

· Added a sidebar explaining what to do When Encryption Stalls

· Described the new way of handling EFI Login and standard login screens in Yosemite, in Log In with FileVault

· Added several minor clarifications in Encrypt a Non-startup Volume

· Changed a third-party software recommendation from WinZip to BetterZip 2 in Encrypt Files and Folders