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Mac Security: Protecting Virtual Memory

TMO Quick Tip - Mac Security: Protecting Virtual Memory

by , 7:30 AM EDT, May 23rd, 2007

Your Mac is pretty secure out of the box, but there are several things you can do to help make it even safer. One potential weak point in your Mac's armor is virtual memory. Should a bad guy get ahold of your Mac, there is a possibility that he could recover data from virtual memory that you would rather keep secret - but that's easy to fix.

Here's how to lock down your Mac's virtual memory:

  • Launch System Preferences. You can find it by choosing Apple menu > System Preferences.
  • Now select the Security Preference Pane.
  • Check Use secure virtual memory.
  • Restart your Mac.


Enable virtual memory protection in the Security Preference Pane.

Virtual memory allows your Mac to use more memory than it really has by writing some of the information it is using back to your hard drive. If someone gets ahold of your Mac or its hard drive, and they know what they are doing, they could manage to recover data from your virtual memory. Using secure virtual memory encrypts the data that gets written to your hard drive as virtual memory, protecting it from prying eyes.

The downside? Slower Macs may see a small performance hit by using secure virtual memory.


Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

if you have tips or tricks to share, or Mac-related questions you want answered.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:DrD Posts: 41 Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Subject: Not that useful

I'm afraid advice like this really is pointless. The security being applied would only be of use if you had already taken all the steps neccessary to lock down your mac including turning file vault on which will cause a notable slow down in file access. The only data unique to virtual memory would be data not stored as files or cached file data on the mac, in addition since it only contains the recent state of memory the information it contains is exceedingly limited. Using secure virtual memory for the vast majority of users will simply provide a false perception of security with a loss in performance from the additional processor overhead it requires.

For those of a paranoid disposition - other than having a chat with your dr - I suggest you take a look at:
http://www.nsa.gov/snac/os/applemac/I731-006R-2007.pdf
Which gives comprehensive advice on how to properly secure your mac.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
DrD wrote:
I'm afraid advice like this really is pointless.


I find most of Gamet's advice falling into this category.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Re:DrD

First of all, there's no noticable hit. And of course this is just one peg in the many holes to fill of Apple's default installation. That NSA guide is good, albeit way out of the realm of most users' level of comfort. I agree with the fact that it's useless to issue an entire article about a tick box as meaningless as this without properly briefing the audience, but it helps nonetheless. My machine is locked-down NSA style, but there's still the layer that cannot be fixed, patched, or made more secure: you're using software whose source you have not examined. Windows, AIX, HP-UX, etc. all have this problem. It comes down to trust, as all things do, eventually.

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