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February 14, 2008

tips

Security watch: Lock that desktop down

Posted Feb. 14, ’08, 1:52 PM PT by Aayush Arya
Category | Tips

keyboardlock.jpgIn Windows, hitting the Windows + L keyboard shortcut locks the desktop and password protects it (according to the settings). Switchers to Mac OS X often find themselves bereft of this functionality. Though it is not quite obvious (and nor is it on Windows), you can indeed lock down that desktop when you’re walking away from the machine—and there are at least three different methods of doing so.

Before you proceed, open the Security pane in System Preferences and make sure that the “Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver” option is checked. Also ensure that you have a login password set for the account you use.

1. Visit the Exposé & Spaces preference pane (Dashboard & Exposé in Tiger) and set one of the Active Screen Corners to “Start Screen Saver”.

or,

2. Launch the Keychain Access utility (found under /Applications/Utilities) and enable the “Show Status in Menu Bar” option under the General tab.

or,

3. Go to the Login Options screen under the Accounts preference pane and “Enable fast user switching” from there.

Now, based on your preference, all you have to do when you go away from your Mac (don’t do that too much—there are feelings involved here) is either drag your mouse pointer to the designated screen corner; click on the lock icon in the menu bar and choose “Lock Screen”; or select “Login Window…” from the fast user switching menu just to the left of the Spotlight icon.

In either case, anyone who visits your Mac in your absence will now be treated to the none-too-friendly requirement of entering the password before they can have their way with your Mac. Of course, this only prevents the software side of things. No amount of password protection can help you if someone decides—heaven forbid!—to abscond with your whole computer.


3 Comments

fletcher Author Profile Page said:

This is a good tip, but you omit the method I use.

If you have a MacBook, simply close the lid.

I also like to change the settings in the Keychain so it prompts before it allows access. This means that someone who gains access to your machine is not automatically able to check your email, open shared servers, etc.

And, I like to put sensitive files in encrypted disk images which require a password to mount. Do not let the keychain store this password. I find using individual disk images easier than using FileVault, which frankly scares me a little.

February 14, 2008 2:15 PM
Jeremy Brown said:

I'd also add that you make sure you don't have you computer set to automatically log in on start up, otherwise I cunning person could do a force restart (by holding the power button down as required), and thus undermining your efforts to lock them out of the computer.

February 14, 2008 9:16 PM
Aayush Arya Author Profile Page said:

@fletcher,
Closing the lid is an obvious way to lock your machine and I'm pretty sure every Apple notebook owner knows about it. I didn't include it in my list because (a) It is only applicable to the notebooks; and (b) It puts the Mac to sleep, halting any activity going on.

@Everyone,
These tips are just for locking the desktop when you have to go away for a couple of minutes. You don't want to put the notebook to sleep when it is downloading something or encoding a video or doing something else.

Also, there are probably a 1001 ways to secure your Mac. These tips weren't intended to cover any of them. Of course you should never have your Mac set to log in automatically. These tips are just to password protect your Mac when you intend to leave it for a while and want no one to be snooping around your system. :)

February 15, 2008 5:53 AM

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