Topic: Secure file/backup??

Yes indeed, turning off Safe Sleep using that method is still valid on Leopard.

Topic: Secure file/backup??

The password is indeed stored in your keychain. By default, the password that unlocks your keychain for programs to insert and retrieve passwords from is the same as your user account login password. On successful login the keychain is unlocked and Knox, among other programs, is let in to retrieve whatever passwords their operation requires.

In the case you describe where a thief steals your laptop, if the computer is completely shut down and you have prior to this changed the security settings as described in the FAQ (http://forum.karppinen.fi/forums/1/topics/1) topic “Which settings should I set in the System Preferences to make my Mac secure?”, they will not be able to dig in and retrieve the vault passwords stored in your keychain.

Also, may I ask which vendor’s secure token do you use?