Hmmm, that’s interesting. I use PDF Expert. I’ll have to give this a try.
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Let me know what you learn. Hopefully that problem was solved long ago.
For documents I’m using DEVONthink. It encrypts everything before it leaves your machine, so it should be safe.
I have DT Pro. Do you create/store the document directly in DT or index them?
Store directly in DT. Personally I never index.
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I had the same idea a long time ago and, unless these work a lot better than they used to, I would not recommend them. Too much work to get into frequently and never felt confident of their reliability.
My apologies for a follow-up question. I’m more concerned with the ability to lock/password protect individual documents in DT but I don’t see a way to that. Is that not possible?
Not on a per-document level. You can setup an encrypted database that you have to unlock before you can open it. I haven’t bothered with that, but it is an option for more enhanced security.
Looks like they use an encrypted disk image behind the scenes:
For extra security we recommend to store private data in encrypted DEVONthink databases. If you cannot or do not want to keep them in a database, encrypted disk images are a good alternative. They are, again, based on AES encryption and are actually used by DEVONthink for its encrypted databases too. You create them with the Disk Utility app.
Thanks, that looks like the solution I’m looking for! This way, I can secure passwords and notes in iCloud Keychain, and documents in DT. Much appreciated!
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Agree, this is also reason why I’m not using Obsidian. I have been a Mac user only a few years, but since accessibility is for the most of the time iMPLEMENTED best in native apps, I’m not a fan that applications is moving to web-based solutions.
I’ve been using Bitwarden for about 4 months and like it. The research I’ve done indicates it’s secure. Migrating from 1Password was easy. My 1Password vault is fairly simple, but all the data moved. My 1Password subscription expires at the end of this month and I’m not renewing.
Replying to myself here to note that, after I got some clarification from the KeePassium developer, I found that the fix to this (making a different setting in KeePassXC that I’d previously eschewed) is acceptable after all, so am back with KeePassium now and it’s working fine. I preferred it from the start, so am happy to correct my earlier comment.
Which setting?
In KeePassXC, turn off (uncheck) “Safely save database files (disable if experiencing problems with Dropbox, etc.)” (Application Settings → General → Basic Settings → File Management). To counter any perceived disadvantage to disabling this feature, make sure you do enable (check) “Backup database file before saving” (same area). I already had that one enabled so was familiar with its being in place. As the developer told me:
There is an alternative way to prevent accidental file corruption: turn on the “Backup database file before saving” (it’s just above the “Safely save” one). This way, your database will be safe if there is a sudden crash. The drawback is that instead of one “database.kdbx” you would also have “database.old.kdbx” in the same folder.
… which doesn’t bother me because, as I said, I was already using that setting. Have since done so and can confirm all is well with KeePassium in that case.
That really depends on how the PDF is secured (I’m not a PDF expert), who you are, how sensitive the PDFs are, how effectively the securing process is (does it encrypt?), whether you’d be likely to re-secure them when (not if) the current method is demonstrated to be flawed, and if the method of securing them is standard enough that the PDFs will remain accessible for the lifetime of their usefulness.
It’s complicated 
And, I’m not generally a fan of file by file encryption because that practice leaves too many of those questions with unsatisfactory answers.
There’s just one small thing that turns me away from Keepassium. Whenever you enter App Switcher from the app, it instantly covers up the thumbnail with a blank screen, causing a slight but noticeable stutter.
Other password managers tend to either cover up in the background (1Password), or offer different options (Strongbox). I know it feels stupid to care about this minor thing. But the alternative does feel better, even just slightly.
Well, it’s not really blank but rather a screen containing only the KeePassium logo; still, I know what you’re saying. I presume it’s intended to be an extra measure of security if one is app-switching while surrounded by others. However, can’t say I notice a stutter; seems pretty close to instantaneous. Perhaps that depends on the device, how many other apps you have open, etc.? I honestly don’t know, and don’t see anything about it on the KeePassium site.
There are lots of tools that can remove passwords from PDF files. I would never consider it safe
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This gets more technical. There is one option. Get an account on major cloud storage providers like AWS or Azure and use their storage options. They provide up to 99.999999999999% availability and 99.9999 % data durability. You can also encrypt using your own keys or let The cloud provider encrypt and store the keys.
The data can be accessed from anywhere and is much secure than DT local database or for that matter any local backup solutions.
Again this is cumbersome but the best way to have your data secure and highly available.
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I have previously on this very thread indicated my disappointed in 1Password’s v8 beta release. The main point being the removal of local vaults.
I did consider moving away from 1Password but for me, I decided to have faith in 1Password. I have trusted them for over 7 years now and they have lived up to my expectation thus far. Therefore, I will continue using 1Password and see how this plays out.
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