Request at StartUp to provide password for Espionage sparsebundle file

[Teiwaz]

Every time I start my system I am prompted multiple times for the password to the Espionage sparsebundle files (2 in my case).  There is and option to put the password in my keychain (which I don't want to do).  I click the Cancel button to get through them, but it is now too much.  I had to Cancel 58 of these pop up requests (yes I counted 58 of them)!  I thought that cleaning my caches, etc., would help but it made no difference.  Can you please help.

Thanks!

[zsolt]

Hello, this is rather strange and interesting.
How many folders do you have protected with Espionage, exactly 2 or?
Can you switch off the startup at login option in Espionage, reboot your mac and see if you get asked for pass, no matter Espionage is not launched?
If not, launch Espionage and see if at that moment you are asked for sparse bundle passwords.
Are you also asked for Espionage master password?
Do you have any folders set to auto unlock?

Thanks
Zsolt

[Teiwaz]

Zsolt;
I have only 2 folders protected.  One is small (100MB), the other is large (7GB).  I have switched off the startup at login  option, restarted my system with the same result.  I had to click through 60 times this morning.
Attached is a screen shot of the message I am getting.  I have confirmed that the sparsbundle referenced is used by Espionage.
I have no folders set to "auto unlock" (I do this manually every day).
Thanks for the help.

[zsolt]

Well, this continues to be strange.
If Espionage is not started on login, then it is not Espionage which is asking you to enter the password.
I have no idea what it could be.
This is now a bit like shooting in the dark, but here is what you could do:
- make sure Espionage is not started, and move the disk images away from the Library/Application Support/com.taoeffect.Espionage3/Data folder, boot again and see what happens
- add another folder to Espionage, one which contains dummy data, and see upon boot it asks for that disk image password too. If it does, grant the access by entering the password (you can get the password by clicking onto "i" near the folder name and clicking onto copy password button then paste it into a text file. If you have troubles entering this long password, there is a way to import a disk image with manually set pass. In the very same info window about the folder, see what is the disk image name used by that folder). Once you granted the access, open terminal and run

lsof | grep diskimagename

and see which process is using it.

If you want, we can make a remote session and I can try to help you, but upon login, do not cancel out the dialogs.
I'm available in afternoon and evening hours CET, but we should agree on some specific date and time.
Rgds
Zsolt

[parkbench]

Having the same issue, though rather than canceling the dialog endlessly I just unlock Espionage first. If I cancel after that the dialog just goes away.

At first I suspected Dropbox and/or Evernote, both of which install their helper apps to open at login automatically. I keep both the parent applications in my sparsebundle. I tried removing them as login items figuring they were the cause of the sparsebundle request, but I was still getting the dialog. Also, once I open my Espionage folder and those applications (using folder actions) they just reinstall themselves. Still not 100% convinced they aren't responsible. Maybe a combo of them and Espionage startup item?

@Teiwaz: do you have a Dropbox or Espionage folder in your sparsebundle as well?

The real trouble with the unlock request for the sparsebundle is that it really brings attention to its presence. Hard to plausibly deny it then.

[parkbench]

Well, just tested removing everything from the login items that were in the sparsebundle and the Espionage startup item, to no avail. Still got the dialog. So it must be some other trigger.

I'm on Mac OS 10.9.2. in case that's useful.

[zsolt]

Hello, please try to do what I suggested previously:

This is now a bit like shooting in the dark, but here is what you could do:
- make sure Espionage is not started, and move the disk images away from the Library/Application Support/com.taoeffect.Espionage3/Data folder, boot again and see what happens
- add another folder to Espionage, one which contains dummy data, and see upon boot it asks for that disk image password too. If it does, grant the access by entering the password (you can get the password by clicking onto "i" near the folder name and clicking onto copy password button then paste it into a text file. If you have troubles entering this long password, there is a way to import a disk image with manually set pass. In the very same info window about the folder, see what is the disk image name used by that folder). Once you granted the access, open terminal and run

lsof | grep diskimagename

and see which process is using it.

or you can just try the lsof command once you unlocked the disk image, please do this before any application is launched.

or, you can create a test user which will have a standard default OS X login environment, then launch espionage and protect one dummy folder then log out and log back in and see if the same thing will happen.

Let me know how it went.

Rgds
Zsolt

[parkbench]

Found it.

- make sure Espionage is not started, and move the disk images away from the Library/Application Support/com.taoeffect.Espionage3/Data folder, boot again and see what happens

Same dialog appears asking to unlock the disk image.

- add another folder to Espionage, one which contains dummy data, and see upon boot it asks for that disk image password too.

It doesn't.

or you can just try the lsof command once you unlocked the disk image, please do this before any application is launched.

Oddly, trying the Espionage password in that dialog doesn't open the sparsebundle (yes, I've confirmed it's asking for the same sparsebundle). Tried it 3 times and it kept coming back and asking for it.

If I lsof directly after booting, with the error dialog on the screen, nothing is listed as using the sparsebundle. If I unlock it via Espionage, only Espionage processes are shown to be using it.

Looking through Console logs I noticed an entry referring to 1Password, then it hit me: 1Password mini. It runs as a login item, but doesn't show in the Users>Login Items section of System Prefs. I store my keychain in the encrypted folder. There are other applications that do things this way to, so YMMV.

Applications > 1Password>(right click) Show Package Contents > Contents > Library > Login Items > 1Password mini

Removed it from the Login Items folder and the dialog went away. Of course I put it back, since it will cause a functionality issue if I don't, but at least I know the culprit.

[zsolt]

Thanks a lot for your input. I will take a note on this, in case somebody else stumbles upon it.
Rgds
Zsolt