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View Poll Results: Do you Encrypt your External HD SuperDuper Clone?
Yes 1 16.67%
No 3 50.00%
Yes, I use FileVault 2 1 16.67%
Yes, but I don't use FileVault 2 0 0%
I use that Disk Utility "Other Method" that you mentioned 0 0%
I had Problems with FileVault 2 1 16.67%
I had No Problems with FileVault 2 0 0%
I had Problems with PGP 0 0%
I had No Problems with PGP 0 0%
I'd like more Info on this Topic! 5 83.33%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 10-23-2013, 01:58 AM
sdak sdak is offline
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External SD HD Encryption, Security!

Hi Dave,

My SD 2.7.1. (v 91) works fine with my Mac OS 10.8.5. THANK YOU!

I am yet to Install 10.8.5 Supplemental Update!

I'd like to Encrypt my Destination SD Clones HDs, because without Encryption my Data can be Copied and Read without my permission, which would be a Security Breech!

I've read a many of Posts on your SD Discussions, where FileVault 2 was mentioned, along with other Encryption Apps Options. The impression I got between all the Comments, including yours, that FileVault 2 was not the most Beloved Solution! My Biggest Concern is being Locked Out of my SD Backup, if it's FileVault HD. I.e. in case that HD has corruption, I might be able to Copy Data from that HD to another HD, never mind Boot Up from that corrupted HD, and so on…

One of those Posts mentioned this "Other Method":

Open Disk Utility
Select a Destination HD to Erase
Format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)
Erase
Then do Regular SD Backup Erase All, then Smart Updates after that…

It's not clear to me if that "Other Method" is using FileVault 2 or not?!

I also realized that I can Encrypt my Time Machine HD, and again, It's not clear to me if that Other Method and Time Machine HD Encryption are using FileVault or not!!!

As you can see, like is the case with others, I am FileVault is making me nervous!

FileVault supposedly cause 10-20% slows down, which is un-inspiring!


Apple doesn't mention anything about FileVault 2 in DiskUtility or when offering to Encrypt Time Machine! AppleCare Senior Advisors could not answer that Q either…

When being offered Time Machine HD Encryption, there was no Alert saying that this Time Machine HD will be Erased in order to Encrypt it…

For now my Q is regarding that above mentioned "Other Method" - Disk Utility - Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted).

Will SuperDuper works with that "Other Method" exactly the same way as it's been working for me up till now = flawlessly… except that till now my SD Clone HD was Not Encrypted!

If it won't work exactly the same way, what would the difference be? What workarounds be needed?

I strongly feel that this Backups Encryption Topic deserves a lot more - ATTENTION - in your SD User Guide and on here, on your SD Discussions!

We can Password Protect our Macs, including Firmware Password, but - if our Backup HDs are not Encrypted - our Macs can be Cloned! Identity Theft and other horrors might follow!

Unless our Clones HDs are in our possession 24/7, if Un-Encrypted, they can be Cloned without us even knowing about it.

For now, my thinking is that this might be the best Compromise:

Find My Mac http://j.mp/1goLwo1

Firmware Password Protection on the Mac itself http://j.mp/1bh93kC

Multiple Clones on Multiple HDs, so, if one of those HDs were to die, we'd still have another 1 or 2 HDs left!

I'm eagerly waiting for your reply!

I will also be speaking to the folks at

Symantec Drive Encryption (powered by PGP Technology)
http://buy.symantec.com/estore/categ...LEM_Vx_12MO_PC

so they can explain to me why their product, $110 Per Year per 1 License, is a better choice than Apple's FileVault 2, which comes Free with every Mac?

I also wonder what Other Encryption Options I have, since I also use my Old Powerbook G4, with Mac OS 10.4.11 and SuperDuper!

Can that PB G4 be Protected with Firmware Password?
What about its External SD HD Encryption?

But again, back to my Mac OS 10.8.5 on my MacBook Pro, if that "Other Method" - Disk Utility - Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted), Then do Regular SD Backup Erase All, and Smart Updates after that… - is not using FileVault, then it should be covered under AppleCare, and at Genious Bars at Apple Stores, right? Or am too naive about that!?

Of course, I am eagerly awaiting the Official Announcement that your SD Compatible with Mavericks, Mac OS 10.9!

Of course if Apple's FileVault 2 or any other Encryption and Security "stuff" has changed since 10.8.5, it'd be nice to know what those changes are, and how that relates to the things I am mentioning in this Post! Maybe 10.9 will introduce a "less scary" FileVault 3!?

Thanks in advance for your help, Dave!

And Thanks Again for your YEARS of Peace of Mind with SD!

It SAVED me and my friends several times, which was PRICELESS!!!!
__________________
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Last edited by sdak; 10-23-2013 at 02:36 AM.
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  #2  
Old 10-23-2013, 07:00 AM
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dnanian dnanian is offline
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FileVault 2 and formatting encrypted are the same thing.

If you're concerned about being able to boot to an encrypted drive, the best thing to do is to have an alternate. Install OS X to a thumbdrive, along with SuperDuper. Boot from that, and verify you can access your encrypted backup and your source. That way, you'll know the data can be read, even if you have a boot problem.

You're better off using Apple's encryption than Symantec's (or other 3rd party full-disk encryption).

As far as Mavericks goes, there's a pointer to the announcement right in the forums (near the top).

Hope that helps.
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  #3  
Old 10-24-2013, 01:01 AM
sdak sdak is offline
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Posts: 14
Dave,

I am Inserting my Comments on every point in your Reply using Quotes Feature! Thanks!

Quote:
FileVault 2 and formatting encrypted are the same thing.
So, are you saying that it • is • possible possible to • not • use FileVault 2 on my Internal Macintosh HD on my MacBook Pro, but

Quote:
FileVault 2 and formatting encrypted are the same thing.
is that what Apple is using for the External HDs Ecryption?


Quote:
If you're concerned about being able to boot to an encrypted drive, the best thing to do is to have an alternate. Install OS X to a thumbdrive, along with SuperDuper. Boot from that, and verify you can access your encrypted backup and your source. That way, you'll know the data can be read, even if you have a boot problem.
Regarding "OS X to a thumbdrive, along with SuperDuper"…

I've created a Thumbdrive Emergency Disk as per these Instructions:

How to make a bootable Mountain Lion install drive | Macworld http://j.mp/1bDKmQB

I was able to Restart from it, and Repair my Internal Macintosh HD. But…

How do I Install SD onto that 8 GB USB Disk?
BTW, I've also created an 8GB Partition my Other Partition that is on the same HD as my SD Clone!
Do I just do this:

Drag and Drop SD Application onto that 8GB Partition on USB HD, or elsewhere
Then Launch SD on that 8GB
Under SuperDuper Menu, Open "Register…"
Type in my Registration Number, and Click OK

Is that it?

As to

Quote:
Boot from that, and verify you can access your encrypted backup and your source. That way, you'll know the data can be read, even if you have a boot problem.
This is how I understand it:

Boot from that 8GB USB Thumbdrive, that has SD on it.
See if it allows me to Read the Content on my Encrypted HD!
If YES, how do I Launch SD that is on that 8GB USB Thumbdrive?!

I just tested my 8GB USB Thumbdrive, it's 10.8.2, which I can Update later. But for now here is a Q:

When Launched from that 8GB USB Thumbdrive, I can't see a Desktop, I just see that Linen Background! So how do I Launch SD that is on that 8GB USB Thumbdrive?!

As I looked through the Menu Options on that 8GB USB Thumbdrive, I saw that I could Browse Safari, so I went to your SD Site http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDup...scription.html and I tried to see if I could Download SD on that 8GB USB Thumbdrive, even though I still can't figure out How Would I Launch SD from that Thumbdrive!

I got an Error:

Safari could not download the file "SuperDuper!dmg" because there is not enough disk space!

So now, as I am writing this after a Restart into my Main User, I did Get Info on that 8GB USB Thumbdrive, and it shows:

Capacity 7.87 GB
Available 3.39 GB
Used 4.47 GB

Then I did Get Info on SuperDuper! Application on my Mac, and it's 6.4 MB!!!!

So why did I get that Error, when 64 MB is a lot smaller than Available 3.39 GB of Free Space on my 8GB USB Thumbdrive?

And again - How Would I Launch SD from that Thumbdrive?!

Keep in mind that I have Firmware Password on my Internal HD! But I don't see how that would be related to that Error about Not Enough Space!



Quote:
You're better off using Apple's encryption than Symantec's (or other 3rd party full-disk encryption).
I called Symantec # on this page

Symantec Drive Encryption (powered by PGP Technology) http://j.mp/1gGfi7S

After a long time on Hold, and being bounced between various extensions, where they were looking to make a Quick Sale, I spoke to their more Tech Savvy Reps.

I asked them about my Scenario, where I wanted to Encrypt an External HD with Symantec PGP, then Clone my Mac with SuperDuper! onto that HD and be able to Boot from that HD, in case I need to use SuperDuper or whatever else!

I asked them to look at their System Requirements Tab on that Page

Symantec Drive Encryption (powered by PGP Technology) http://j.mp/1gGfi7S where it said:

Mac OS X

Disks formatted using the APM partition scheme
Any type of server hardware, including RAID disk drives and software RAID drives
Diskettes and CD-RW/DVD-RWs
exFAT formatted disks
Any configuration where the system partition is not on the same disk as boot partition
Authentication Options

Then I focused their attention on this Bullet Point:

Any configuration where the system partition is not on the same disk as boot partition

Their Response was - you can NOT Boot from that HD, because Symantec Drive Encryption (powered by PGP Technology) wouldn't let the Mac see that it's a Bootable Drive!

They promised to look further into that Scenario and get back to me!

I hope they mis-spoke, so that product could be an Option for me, but… After that phone call, I now FEAR that product as much, if not more than FileVault 2, after all its sometimes Less Than Enthusiasm Inducing Perception!

Dave,

I hope all this Explicit Feedback gives you and others a More Vivid Picture of this Situation!

Bravo on this Discussions - Forum!

Keep in mind that I have Firmware Password on my Internal HD! It seemed very "Straight Forward", and Far Less Scary than FileVault and Symantec PGP!

I was able to Start from my SD Clone, so I assume that I'd be able to Restore from my Clone, and Firmware Password on my Internal HD will NOT get in the way, right? Please Confirm that!


It would be great if Apple Offered a Better Education with Show And Tell Videos about FileVault 2 and the rest of their Security Paradigm, so that Developers like you wouldn't have to be tortured with long Comments like this, ha ha ha !

Thanks as always for your Stellar Product, SuperDuper!


Thanks in advance for your help!

As to:

Quote:
As far as Mavericks goes, there's a pointer to the announcement right in the forums (near the top).
Thank Your for The Happy News!

Shirt Pocket Watch - Mavericks
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/blog/ind...nts/mavericks/

I wonder why you didn't have that Happy News on your Main SuperDuper! Page
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDup...scription.html ?!

Best Wishes!!!
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  #4  
Old 10-24-2013, 06:41 AM
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dnanian dnanian is offline
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To create a thumbdrive with OS X on it, you'll get a larger one (64GB, perhaps), then use your "recovery" thumbdrive to install OS X on it, as you would to a regular drive. You'll then have a full install of OS X, and you can install SuperDuper to that.

And, yes, to be clear again - Encryption and FileVault 2 are the same thing.
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