Secure virtual memory

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Secure virtual memory encrypts your swapfiles, preventing anyone who can access your disk from seeing the contents of your memory.

You can enable it in the Security Preference Pane

Because it is not enabled by default on a new install you have to be aware of something if you want to enable it: Any data that was in your memory at any point before you enabled it is quite likely still on your disk. This could include your login password etc.

Here is the procedure for making sure your disk is clean:

  • First turn on Secure virtual memory if it is not already.
  • Boot up from the Tiger install disk.
  • Open terminal from the tools menu, and remove the swapfiles: 
cd /Volumes/the disk to clean/private/var/vm/
rm swapfile*
  • Clean all free space: Open Disk Utility from the tools menu, select the disk to clean, select the erase tab, click "Erase Free Space", choose an option (simply zeroing it out is all you need, but if you are paranoid you can choose more), and click ok.
  • Restart, you are done.
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