I have a password protected word file with every username and password I use. including paypal and my bank login info. if my mac gets stolen, someone could just drag the file to textedit to open it, no password required.
their must be a better way to store this personal data so it's safe in case my mac gets stolen?
OS X includes the ability to encrypt files and folders, for free. It is part of the included Disk Utility Program. Disk Utility allows you to create what are known as "password-protected encrypted disk images." The encryption is so secure, even the U.S. government wouldn't be able to break into your files.
Encrypted disk image files are really easy to create and use.
To make a password-ed ".dmg" file (an encrypted archive file that you can *
open with a simple double-click and entry of the password) from an existing folder full of files that you want to protect, just do this*
(these instructions differ a bit depending on which version of OS X you are using):
• Open Disk Utility (it is located in your Utilities folder, which is *
in your Applications folder)
• File --> New --> Disk Image from Folder —> Image
• Select the folder,*
• Select Image Format: read/write,
• Select encryption (128-bit AES will do)
• Choose a unique password
Do NOT click "remember my password in keychain"! (That would allow *
others using your computer to open the archive.)
One very important note:
DO NOT forget your password. *If you do, your data is toast. *There is no way that I know of to recover a forgotten password.
Apple instructions for this:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201599
And that's it! Now you have a whatevernameyouwant.dmg file that can't
be viewed, opened or edited by anyone but those who know the password.
http://www.macissues.com/2014/09/12/how-to-secure-individual-private-files-in-os-x/#more-1964
Adding new documents to the disk image isn't much different than
opening a folder and dropping additional documents into the folder.
Double-click on the disk image, enter your password and click Okay,
and the decrypted disk image appears as a new icon on the desktop.
You use it just like you would an attached flash drive or hard drive.
Click Eject in the disk image's window when you are done and it re-
encrypts and closes.
http://www.macissues.com/2014/04/06/built-in-options-for-encrypting-data-on-your-mac/
If you create a disk image file using the method outlined above, the
resulting disk image will have a limited size (sort of like a small
flash drive), and so you will only be allowed to add a limited amount
of new data to it before it is full. If you would prefer to create a
larger disk image, with as much free space as you would like for
adding more stuff, modify my previous instructions by choosing "Blank
Disk Image" instead of "Disk Image from Folder". You can then specify
the size of the disk image that you want to create. Copy all of your
stuff into it that you like, and then click on Eject in the Disk
Image window in the Finder.
it's all much easier to do than it sounds, and is very quick and
convenient.
Or, if you want to make things easier yet, use this free utility instead of Disk Utility to create encrypted disk images:
DMGConverter (free)
http://sunsky3s.s41.xrea.com/dmgconverter/index.html