Is There A Mail Program that you can password protect

[afox04]

Okay, I can't find this answer, so I'm posting. First, let me say a couple things:

I have tried running that script that prompts you to enter your password when opening Entourage, and i get some error that prevents the password prompt to pop up.

I'm well aware of creating different users and locking the machine that way. I've even tried setting the auto logout feature, but Safari gets in the way of that bc it won't automatically shut those windows down. It would be alot easier if safari closed everything and then upon logging back in asked if it should restart the session (a la Firefox). However that's a post for another day unless someone has a quickfix for that.

What I'm wondering is-

Does anyone know of a pop3 program for my mac that allows me to password protect logging into the email client? JUST the program, not the entire machine.

I sometimes walk away from my machine without logging out...inquiring minds seem to always plop down in front of the computer and see all my business....be it bank emails, personal emails, or whatever. I need to fix it...please help! :-)

[cwtnospam]

What's wrong with using a screensaver and requiring a password to deactivate it? Exposé can be set to activate the screen saver using the keyboard or mouse.

[Mikey-San]

Cwt's suggestion is solid. That's what I do. Another option is to back out to the login window via fast user switching, which will keep your apps running but require a password (if your user account has one) to gain access to.

It would be alot easier if safari closed everything and then upon logging back in asked if it should restart the session (a la Firefox). However that's a post for another day unless someone has a quickfix for that.

You can write an AppleScript to record and restore the current windows and tabs, then use that script to both quit and launch Safari. It's not as clean as having the feature in the browser, but it's certainly a solution.

Make sure you tell Apple you want this feature, by the way. Don't assume they know there is a demand for it.

[hayne]

It would be alot easier if safari closed everything and then upon logging back in asked if it should restart the session (a la Firefox). However that's a post for another day unless someone has a quickfix for that.

Safari can save the current tabs as a bookmark (see "Add Bookmark for These Tabs" in the Bookmarks menu.
But it also can "Reopen All Windows From Last Session" (in the History menu).
So just quit Safari and then use this latter menu item.

[afox04]

nothing is wrong with those but im not sure if it would be the most ideal for me for two reasons..
First, I have to password protect the mail program bc if someone clicks on an email hyperlink, it automatically opens my email for all to see. Bc of the whole safari issue, the autologout feature won't work. I'm forgetful and don't want my personal stuff to be viewed bc I stepped away and got sidetracked. Truthfully, that feature would be ideal. Any suggestions other than to get another browser? I really find it hard to believe that something as simple as a stinking password protected email client would not exist on such an amazing platform!!

[hayne]

The problem is that merely password-protecting the mail program would not prevent access to your email. Your email is stored in files under your home folder and is therefore accessible (using other programs) to anyone who has access to your user account. So password-protecting the email program would be analogous to locking the front door but leaving the back and side doors open.

The correct solution is to prevent all access to your account either by remembering to log out or (probably easier from what you say) configuring your Mac to require a password when waking from sleep or from the screensaver.

[afox04]

I understAnd what u mean. Wouldn't preventing the program from being opened without a password negate the fact that u can locate the emails but not actually open them withoutthe program opening?

The screensaver option...if I walk away as user1 and my email and safari is open will it close my user or will safari prevent that? When the screensaver kicks in, is that going to log me back into the same spot as user1 with all those program still open?

[rgray]

The screensaver option...if I walk away as user1 and my email and safari is open will it close my user or will safari prevent that?
Safari will not prevent the screensaver
When the screensaver kicks in,
You don't have to leave it unsecured until the screensaver "kicks in". Set a hot corner on the screen so you can quickly force-invoke the screensaver.
is that going to log me back into the same spot as user1 with all those program still open?
Yes.

[hayne]

Wouldn't preventing the program from being opened without a password negate the fact that u can locate the emails but not actually open them withoutthe program opening?
To open the email messages merely requires some other program that understands the format of the message files. One easy way of getting a program that does that would be to somehow install (e.g. copy from a USB key drive) another copy of Entourage.

When the screensaver kicks in, is that going to log me back into the same spot as user1 with all those program still open?
Yes - but no "log in" is needed - with the screensaver, you are not logged out.
Anyway, why not just try it to see what happens?

[afox04]

ok then the screensaver option won't work for me.

Going through all that mentioned to get into the email is something kids and inlaws aren't going to do. I appreciate the suggestions but I'm afraid the only solution might be to change browsers and then use the autologout feature after inactivity. That's not what I want to do, but it sounds like my only solution. Any other ideas? it's more of a workaround. Is there really no mail program out there that has a password protection feature built in??

[afox04]

thanks for that safari tip. Again, if I remember to logout, great. But I don't often.

[hayne]

ok then the screensaver option won't work for me.
Sorry - I must have missed something. Why won't the screensaver option work for you? It requires a password for access to your account (including your email messages).

[afox04]

No problem. Here's the scenario that would make the screensaver option not work for me:

If it's enable and I walk away leaving my email program and safari up, then it kicks in, locking out the machine without the screensaver password.

Someone other than me sits down, enters the community password for the screensaver (I can't put a screensaver on a machine that everyone uses and not give the password), then bam...up comes my email and anything else that was open.

[cwtnospam]

The screen saver allows you to switch accounts instead of going back to the original account.

[afox04]

ALright, I might be missing something...I was logged in as the administrator ("User1"), and enabled the password-protected screensaver. I waited for it to come on, and I attempted to login as "User2". It said that info was incorrect. It was only accepting the original user. Am I doing something wrong?

[afox04]

I have to say I LOVE fast user switching. JUST what the Dr. ordered...The only challenge is what if I forget to logout, as often I'll step away, leaving safari running. If I were to enable autologout, it stops before completion to prompt me to close all safari windows.

Is there a workaround? I dont have any experience writing any scripts.

I have to pause for a moment and thank everyone for the good suggestions. I've learned much from this post that will help me work more efficiently. What a robust system. I'm very pleased with my Mac and thankful for all that have been so insightful.

Now where the hell is the email program that is password protected?? :-)

[hayne]

ALright, I might be missing something...I was logged in as the administrator ("User1"), and enabled the password-protected screensaver. I waited for it to come on, and I attempted to login as "User2". It said that info was incorrect. It was only accepting the original user. Am I doing something wrong?

Did you use the "Switch User" button in the password dialog that comes up when you wake up the machine from sleep or screensaver? Try that - it should meet your needs.

I.e. create an account for each person needing to use the Mac and have each person only use their own account. Set the Security preference to require a password upon wake from sleep or screensaver.
No issues of anyone seeing anyone else's mail - or anything else.

[Mikey-San]

INow where the hell is the email program that is password protected?? :-)

As Hayne said, passwording the mail application will not solve the problem, because the file system is still open for perusal.

[rgray]

Is there really no mail program out there that has a password protection feature built in??

This is because the system expects different users to use different user accounts!!!

I don't grasp the reluctance to set up separate accounts and enforce their use..... :confused: So many issues just go away when each user has their own account.

What good is keeping others out of Mail when they still have access to everything else? As noted above, by the method you want, they can access your mail too if they really wanted to.

Separate use accounts, fast user switching and passworded screensaver is the way to go.

[styrafome]

You seem very concerned that mail is the gateway to all your information, but really, your user account is the gateway to all your information. Is there nothing else on your user account that you don't want to protect from those other people? Downloaded mail attachments? Saved Word documents? Photos? Music? Financial documents? Confidential correspondence? Archived information about your online accounts? You've got to have some files lying around in your user account that are at least as confidential as simple email messages. And if these other people are so untrustworthy, then do you want their browser cross-session cookies, downloaded files, etc. mixed up with yours? Because they are...if you continue to let them use your user account. And therefore the best way is to keep people out of your user account entirely, and keep them in theirs. As the previous post says...

So many issues just go away when each user has their own account.

Activate the passworded screen saver and let other people re-enter the computer into their own accounts. Ensuring that nothing in your account is ever other than the way you want it.

[afox04]

Gentlemen (And Ladies),

I have to say thank you to all for being such great help. Switching users (fastswitch) is great. everyone is right, it's not just mail to protect, it's all my stuff. Now that I can switch users, it works great. But the screensaver feature is perfect! I feel like someone just bought the others in this house a brand new Mac. Now if they could just be able to use it at the same time somewhere else other than where I sit...hahah. No one wants to use the windows machines anymore...go figure.

I'm going to investigate how to share things like my iphoto library and other documents between users....is this something that's easy to do? user1 (me) is administrator, the other users are not. i'm assuming I'd do some type of sharing or rights access on those files or folders?

[afox04]

I'm pumped because it's even going to allow me to split the itunes library...that is great. I can finally get Kenny G and Britney spears out of my library :-)

will I have to share the individual music files, or should I drop them all into a separate folder and share that one? I dont want to share every single song/video.

[Mikey-San]

I'm pumped because it's even going to allow me to split the itunes library...that is great. I can finally get Kenny G and Britney spears out of my library :-)

will I have to share the individual music files, or should I drop them all into a separate folder and share that one? I dont want to share every single song/video.

Any songs you want to share, store them somewhere convenient in /Users/Shared. At that point, other users* can add them to their iTunes libraries by dragging them in.

To keep iTunes from creating copies when you drag them in, disable this preference:

iTunes > Preferences > Advanced > Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library

* Any user that has the proper permissions will be able to read them. If you encounter problems with this, make sure to post a separate thread asking for help.