Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#1

Post by syck » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 12:31 PM UTC

Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac
davidwalsh.name

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#2

Post by rvz » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 12:39 PM UTC

Very handy. But you can use your Apple Watch for sudo which is even better: [0]

[0] https://github.com/insidegui/pam-watchid

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#3

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:13 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#4

Post by fluder » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:16 PM UTC

And with every macOS update you should do it again and again. Just another not useful tip.

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#5

Post by smolyeet » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:18 PM UTC

fluder wrote: post #4

And with every macOS update you should do it again and again. Just another not useful tip.

its not like you update everyday, once a month seems like a fair trade if it’s convenient.

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#6

Post by Simplicitas » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:26 PM UTC

Author admits 'probably not very efficient', but still a great SHORT article to consider something interesting. Thanks

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#7

Post by pplante » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:28 PM UTC

rvz wrote: post #2

Very handy. But you can use your Apple Watch for sudo which is even better: [0] [0] https://github.com/insidegui/pam-watchid

I agree using your watch is cool. However I think you lose out on the security aspect, an important element that a fingerprint provides all on the same device.

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#8

Post by bitlevel » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:30 PM UTC

The article will not allow sudo changes on Big Sur - at least, not without changing permissions of the sudo file first:

  1. sudo -Si
  2. chmod 644 /etc/pam.d/sudo
  3. vi /etc/pam.d/sudo
  4. Add the 'Auth         sufficient        pam_tid.so' line
  5. chmod 444 /etc/pam.d/sudo
  6. ...
  7. Profit!

Very handy tip though, thanks!

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#9

Post by nindalf » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:31 PM UTC

Simplicitas wrote: post #6

Author admits 'probably not very efficient', but still a great SHORT article to consider something interesting. Thanks

I'm not sure about the "not efficient" part either. My password is 10+ characters, random alphanumeric with special characters. I sometimes mistype it. Whereas I'm yet to make a mistake tapping my finger on the finger print reader.

Re: Use Touch ID for Sudo on Mac

#10

Post by JimDabell » Mon, Mar 01, 2021, 1:33 PM UTC

pplante wrote: post #7

rvz wrote: post #2

Very handy. But you can use your Apple Watch for sudo which is even better: [0] [0] https://github.com/insidegui/pam-watchid

I agree using your watch is cool. However I think you lose out on the security aspect, an important element that a fingerprint provides all on the same device.

The watch unlocking mechanism only works if it’s in an unlocked state, i.e. you haven’t taken it off your wrist since the last time you entered your PIN. Somebody would have to double-press the side button on your watch while you were wearing it.