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Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

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Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#41

Post by surround »

jovial_cavalier wrote: post #39
surround wrote: post #38

> in sensitive situations, law enforcement and border agents in many countries can compel a biometric unlock in ways they cannot with a password. If the threat model includes state-level actors, then disabling biometrics won't prevent data from being retrieved from physical memory. It would probably be wiser to enable disk encryption and have a panic button that powers down/hibernates the computer so that no unencryp…

a cop works for "the state," but he's definitely not a "state-level actor."

How do you define "state-level actor?" Police departments certainly have access to state and federal forensic resources to access unencrypted data in memory.

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#42

Post by Wowfunhappy »

alin23 wrote: post #17
quicklywilliam wrote: post #12

Great idea and implementation! If you are hesitant to install this for any reason, you can accomplish the same thing with this one liner: sudo bioutil -ws -u 0; sleep 1; sudo bioutil -ws -u 1 Edit: here's a shortcut to run the above and then lock your screen. You can give it a global keyboard shortcut in the Shortcuts app. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/9362945d839140dbbf987e5bce9...

Hook this to a lid angle below 30° trigger in https://lowtechguys.com/crank and you can easily make it run on a simple lowering of the lid

At that point, why not just disable Touch ID?

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#43

Post by hervature »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #42
alin23 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hook this to a lid angle below 30° trigger in https://lowtechguys.com/crank and you can easily make it run on a simple lowering of the lid

At that point, why not just disable Touch ID?

When the bad guys are too impatient to wait until you leave the computer but not fast enough to stop you before 30 degrees while keeping the convenience of life.

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#44

Post by stackghost »

surround wrote: post #41
jovial_cavalier wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a cop works for "the state," but he's definitely not a "state-level actor."

How do you define "state-level actor?" Police departments certainly have access to state and federal forensic resources to access unencrypted data in memory.

In the context of breaking into phones and laptops, "state-level actor" usually implies a team of people with NSA-type forensic capabilities. That is, they have deep expertise in infosec and related topics, access to 0days that the security apparatus has hoarded and kept secret for their own use, and they may have bespoke hardware to facilitate attacking the device.

A random cop might have access to a Cellebrite machine but they can't just call up the NSA and ask them to break into some drug dealer's macbook.

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#45

Post by dang »

seanieb wrote: post #3
mrdomino- wrote: post #2

Neat idea. I remember way back in the day, there was some question as to the legality of compelled unlocking of devices; IIRC, it’s been deemed legal to compel a fingerprint, but illegal (under the first amendment?) to compel entry of a password—IIRC, as long as that password hasn’t been written down anywhere. I gather this is written to that end primarily? Or is there some other goal as well?

I wrote this after the case of a Washington Post reporter, Hannah Natanson, was compelled to unlock her computer with her fingerprint. This resulted in access to her Desktop Signal on her computer, revealing sources and their conversations. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/washington-post-raid-pro... Edit: I've a lot more details about the legality and precedence on the apps landing page https://paniclock.github.i…

(I've put a copy of this text at the top of the thread, since it's standard for Show HNs to have some intro/background up there. I hope that's ok with you!)

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#46

Post by seanieb »

dang wrote: post #45
seanieb wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wrote this after the case of a Washington Post reporter, Hannah Natanson, was compelled to unlock her computer with her fingerprint. This resulted in access to her Desktop Signal on her computer, revealing sources and their conversations. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/washington-post-raid-pro... Edit: I've a lot more details about the legality and precedence on the apps landing page https://paniclock.github.i…

(I've put a copy of this text at the top of the thread, since it's standard for Show HNs to have some intro/background up there. I hope that's ok with you!)

Thank you!

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#47

Post by ASalazarMX »

Forgeties79 wrote: post #6

PSA to iOS users: if you tap the lock button 5x it forces password-only unlocking. Useful at protests or any precarious situations with law enforcement.

- TSA: Hey, bring your bag and devices here. Routine inspection.

- Traveler: [takes phone from the bin] [finds lock button] [click] [click] [click]

- TSA: Hey, stop what you're doing Mr. Terrorist!

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#48

Post by Nexxxeh »

mrdomino- wrote: post #2

Neat idea. I remember way back in the day, there was some question as to the legality of compelled unlocking of devices; IIRC, it’s been deemed legal to compel a fingerprint, but illegal (under the first amendment?) to compel entry of a password—IIRC, as long as that password hasn’t been written down anywhere. I gather this is written to that end primarily? Or is there some other goal as well?

There's also the issue that the device is covered in fingerprints, and if you can build a clean image of the print, you can likely manufacture a gelatin copy of that fingerprint that will work on most fingerprint scanners.

I can't speak to the current generation of Apple fingerprint scanners, but historically iirc you can grab a print, clean it up in Photoshop, print it on OHP transparency using a laser printer and use it like a mould to copy a fingerprint.

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#49

Post by surround »

stackghost wrote: post #44
surround wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you define "state-level actor?" Police departments certainly have access to state and federal forensic resources to access unencrypted data in memory.

In the context of breaking into phones and laptops, "state-level actor" usually implies a team of people with NSA-type forensic capabilities. That is, they have deep expertise in infosec and related topics, access to 0days that the security apparatus has hoarded and kept secret for their own use, and they may have bespoke hardware to facilitate attacking the device. A random cop might have access to a Cellebrite mach…

Fair enough. Though they certainly could still break in if the laptop isn't encrypted, so this tool is only useful when combined with disk encryption.

Re: Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock

#50

Post by dozerly »

bhj wrote: post #37
wolvoleo wrote: post #31

I'm surprised Apple doesn't offer an option. On the iPhone you could do this by pressing the power button several times. Not sure if this still works because the iPhone 6 was my last one though.

Pressing and holding Power + Vol Up/Down is the current combo

Pressing the power button 5 times fast also does it!
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