How to securely store sensitive files

You can safely store financial records, passwords, and other sensitive information on your mac in something called an encrypted disk image.

If you currently have financial or other sensitive data in unprotected files on your computer, you should follow these instructions to keep yourself safe. You can also move the encrypted file or store it on other devices without worrying about it.

You only have to set it up once, Here's how:

Step 1

Open "Disk Utility"

Disk Utility is located in "Utilities", which is in your Applications folder.

Step 2

Click the "New Image" icon on from the toolbar on the top of the Window

Step 3

Make sure the settings match the image below

- Make sure "Encryption" is selected, this is what keeps your files safe.
- Make sure that the "Image Format" is set to "sparse disk image" this makes it so that the size of the disk image grows as you add files to it. Otherwise it will take the space of the Volume Size, even if there is nothing in it.

View Full Size

Step 4

Create your password

It's important to deselect the option that says "Remember password in my keychain"

If this is selected, then anyone who is logged in on your computer can open this file.

View Full Size

Step 5

Save your files to your new disk image.

You can think of a disk image like a flash drive or an external hard drive, it's just on your internal hard drive instead. When you "Mount" the disk image, it's like plugging in a hard drive, and like a hard drive, you need to eject it when you are done.

Like a hard drive, when you put a file on the disk image it is copied and remains in it's previous location on your hard drive too. Make sure to delete the original files that are transfered to the disk image if they contain sensitive information.

View Full Size

Step 6

Eject the disk image when you are done

February 23, 2012