(no subject)

[Mike or Penny Novack]

Ian K wrote:

>I use Truecrypt to protect my important files. There are various options but
>the simplest is a file container that Truecrypt mounts as a vitual drive
>upon entering the password. I like this so you don't have to have the
>PC/laptop or whatever locked down on tight security the whole time - someone
>in the family can pick up the laptop and browse, for example, without being
>able to load up GnuCash and see my net worth!
>
>  
>
Ian is here using actual, not fake security. Data encryption. That would 
protect the data even from another user on the computer that had 
administrator rights.

But please note that this is MORE than you need to protect your data 
from "somebody in the family can pick up the laptop and browse being 
able to load up gnucash and see my net worth". Not unless ........

1) You allowed them to know YOUR log in password. Just being able to log 
into their own account or a guest account does not let them see your 
gnucash data. Yes they could open gnucash (if installed "anybody can 
use") but all they could see is data created under their own log in.

2) You allowed them to have an administrator account (now they can look 
at your data).

Please note that I have oversimplified this, talking only about casual 
browsing, not serious attack. Because if you allow somebody else to have 
physical access to your computer and the boot sequence isn't protected 
(some machines allow that) they can bring the machine up under the 
operating system of their choice thus getting around any protections 
dependent on your usual operating system. That's why only encryption 
provides real security.

Michael D Novack