Can I create an OSX image to install after a disk format/7-pass I often do a secure pass (usually 7) once a month on my Macbook, for privacy reasons and my job.

But, it's annoying that I have to continue to reinstall my applications each time. It is possible to some how create an image of a OS with my applications already installed?

Surely this must be possible because large companies would likely have a master disk so every installation has the pre installed software needed.

How is this possible?

Im running an early 2014 MBP.
funny, i just did this the other day.

you can use disc utility to clone drives at any time (the "restore" tab, far right). instructions here: http://nyacomputing.com/how-to-create-a-bootable-clone-of-your-mac-hard-drive/

so the next time you wipe your drive, perform your fresh install of OS X (assuming current mavericks, 10.9.5) and install all your apps just the way you like them. when you have everything configured just right, use disc utility to clone the system drive to an external.

so what do you do next time after you wipe your machine, to get it all back to normal? using OS X's new "recovery mode" (available from lion 10.7 on, just boot while holding cmd+R) it's possible copy your clone back onto the system drive, but without being run 'inside' your current OS X installation. recovery mode is run from an invisible, secure partition on your boot HDD.

you use the restore function, but in reverse. copy your clone over to your system HDD.

cheers,