how secure is my Keychain?

[space-time]

I have a keychain where I store all my banking/email passwords. This password is different from the OS X Login password.

Suppose my laptop is stolen and the thieve uses a OS X DVD to reset my password and log in to my account, will they be able to reset the Keychain password as well? I am pretty sure the answer is NO, but it never hurt to ask.

Thanks

[rjmacs]

In Keychain Access preferences, options include:

• Synchronize login keychain password with account
  
• Set login keychain as default
  
• Keep login keychain unlocked
  

If these are deselected (as it sounds they are in your setup), there is no connection between the account and keychain passwords. Resetting the account password will do nothing to your keychain's security. If you lose your keychain password, it's lost to you. You can create a new one, but you can't recover it or 'reset' its password.

As you know, the minor inconvenience of unlocking your keychain on login is the price you pay for having separate passwords. It's a reasonable trade-off if you have any concern about your mac's physical security.