How to make macbook more secure in case of theft?

Ok, I am kindof scared if my macbook were to be stolen the thieves can access all my data... I read a login password is completely useless because you can just insert an install disc for OSX and reset it. I want more security.

How about using truecrypt? Would it slow down disc performance?
TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

Or is this similar to filevault built into OSX? I have no idea.

It's similar to filevault. I would just enable filevalut.

michelle_taylor said:

Ok, I am kindof scared if my macbook were to be stolen the thieves can access all my data... I read a login password is completely useless because you can just insert an install disc for OSX and reset it. I want more security.

Click to expand...

1. Set a firmware password (but don't lose it).

Setting up firmware password protection in Mac OS X

2. Install "Orbicule Undercover"

http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/

Regards.

chscag said:

1. Set a firmware password (but don't lose it).

Setting up firmware password protection in Mac OS X

2. Install "Orbicule Undercover"

http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/

Regards.

Click to expand...

Note that undercover will prevent in nothing the thieves to read your data.

I take a few simple steps to secure my data:
- Switch off auto-login
- Use 1Password to store forms and passwords
- Don't keep any really sensitive data anywhere in plaintext (i.e. use secure keychain notes or encrypted disk images for sensitive data

This still gives a thief access to all my other data though, but I doubt someone else would be too interested in my vacation pictures .

I think the online passwords are something most people don't think of though... thanks to 1Password at least I know all my web accounts can't be abused (think eBay, Amazon, banking, facebook etc.)

michelle_taylor said:

How about using truecrypt? Would it slow down disc performance?
TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

Or is this similar to filevault built into OSX? I have no idea.

Click to expand...

TrueCrypt and PGPDisk are a good bit more secure than FileVault, because it encrypts the whole disk, not just your user folder, like FileVault does. This would prevent someone from resetting the system with an install disk.

Both TrueCrypt/PGP and FileVault will slow down disk speed somewhat.