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Validating FileVault recovery keys using a plist file to provide recovery key...
As part of a recent discussion in the Mac Admins Slack, it was asked if it was possible to validate a FileVault personal recovery key (PRK) without having to interactively enter it. Normally, to...
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FileVault on versus off on Apple Silicon Macs
I recently gave a talk on how FileVault works on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS Tahoe. As part of doing the research for it, one of the things which stood out to me is how Apple has designed...
View ArticleSlides from the “FileVault 101” session at Penn State MacAdmins 2026
For those who wanted a copy of my FileVault talk at Penn State MacAdmins 2026, here are links to the slides in PDF and Keynote format. PDF: https://tinyurl.com/PSUMacAdmins2026PDF Keynote:...
View ArticleTurning on FileVault using the fdesetup command line tool may not include...
I recently did some FileVault testing using the fdesetup command line tool on macOS Tahoe and noticed something was missing when I did so. On prior versions of macOS, when you ran the fdesetup enable...
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Unlocking FileVault via SSH on macOS Tahoe
One of the changes Apple has introduced with macOS Tahoe is the ability to use SSH at the unified login screen available on Apple Silicon Macs. Apple has built on this to provide a way to allow a...
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Suppressing the FileVault screen with a configuration profile on macOS Tahoe
Over the years, Apple has introduced a number of screens which appear the first time you log into a Mac. Among those which appear as of macOS Tahoe 26.0 is the Your Mac is Ready for FileVault screen,...
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Accessing the recovery key password reset option at the login window on macOS...
If the following situation occurs: You forgot the password to the local account you use to log into your Mac. You have FileVault enabled. You have the FileVault recovery key available. You can use the...
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Using the Jamf Pro API to retrieve FileVault personal recovery keys
As part of Jamf Pro 10.43’s release, Jamf has added the ability to access and retrieve FileVault personal recovery keys via the Jamf Pro API: Return FileVault information for a specific computer:...
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Use of FileVault Institutional Recovery Keys no longer recommended by Apple
When legacy FileVault was first introduced as part of Mac OS X 10.3 Panther in 2005, it supported a recovery key method which used a special keychain named FileVaultMaster.keychain which by default had...
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FileVault login screen differences between Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
As new Apple Silicon Macs (ASM) have begun making their way to organizations which use FileVault encryption to secure their fleets, a difference between Intel Macs and ASMs has become apparent. Intel...
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Erasing a FileVault-encrypted T2-equipped Mac
Normally, reinstalling macOS on a Mac is a straightforward process: 1. Boot to macOS Recovery2. Select Reinstall macOS from macOS Utilities. 3. Follow the onscreen instructions. However, if you have a...
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Managing macOS Catalina’s FileVault 2 with fdesetup
Since its initial release in OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.x, Apple’s main tool for managing FileVault 2 encryption has been fdesetup. With the transition from managing Core Storage-based encryption on HFS+...
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Managing macOS Mojave’s FileVault 2 with fdesetup
Since its initial release in OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.x, Apple’s main tool for managing FileVault 2 encryption has been fdesetup. With the transition from managing Core Storage-based encryption on HFS+...
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Mouse doesn’t move at FileVault login screen in VMware Fusion macOS Mojave VMs
As part of working with FileVault on macOS Mojave, I’ve been using VMs running in VMware Fusion 11.x for testing. As part of that, I’ve seen a problem where the mouse doesn’t move when the VM has...
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Re-syncing local account passwords and Secure Token on FileVault-encrypted...
As part of FileVault on Apple File System, Apple introduced a new account attribute called Secure Token. As mentioned in a previous post, Secure Token can present some interesting problems for Mac...
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Unable to enable FileVault on macOS Mojave
As part of FileVault on Apple File System, Apple introduced a new account attribute called Secure Token. Secure Token can present some interesting complications for Mac admins and among them is this...
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Unlock your FileVault-encrypted boot drive using Disk Utility on macOS Mojave
In the event that you need to unlock an unbootable FileVault-encrypted boot drive on macOS Mojave, it’s possible to do so using Disk Utility and the password to a FileVault-enabled account on the...
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Unlock or decrypt your FileVault-encrypted boot drive from the command line...
As part of working with FileVault on macOS Mojave, it may be necessary to decrypt an encrypted boot drive in order to fix a problem. On Mojave all boot volumes will use Apple File System (APFS), so to...
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T2, FileVault and brute force attack protection
Apple recently released an overview document for its new T2 chip, which includes how the new T2 chip-equipped Macs have new protections against brute force attacks. This protection only applies if...
View ArticleDetecting if a logged-in user on a FileVault-encrypted Mac has a Secure Token...
A challenge many Mac admins have been dealing with is the introduction of the Secure Token attribute, which is now required to be added to a user account before that account can be enabled for...
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