Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

Hey Hacker News,

I've run out of places to look so I hope you guys can help me with this. I would like to:

1. Securely login to my various websites 2. Securely lock and unlock my MacBook Pro.

Easy, right?

Except I'm quadriplegic. I use DragonDictate[1] to input text, and invoke keyboard shortcuts verbally, and SwitchXS[2] with a single button switch[3] (to move the mouse around and switch between applications etc). With these I have nearly total control over my laptop.

I use a password manager and once I've spoken the master password out loud the rest of my password challenges are automated. This is necessary, but not so secure as my laptop is then just open to anyone who picks it up. But I can't password lock my whole laptop because OS X requires that password before it will load up any applications, and I can't put a password in without my apps.

I was thinking of getting a YubiKey, but for that I would need to touch the sensor on the key to activate everything, but as you might imagine the whole quadriplegic thing gets in the way of this!

Some other sort of hardware master key, maybe? What do you guys think?

A word on the adversary: I want my personal information secure from casual passers-by who after having a quick peck on the keyboard would more than likely give up; I'm not looking for PRISM dodging security here :-)

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated!

[1]: http://www.nuance.co.uk/for-individuals/by-product/dragon-for-mac/dragon-dictate/index.htm [2]: http://www.assistiveware.com/product/switchxs [3]: http://www.ablenetinc.com/Assistive-Technology/Switches/Buddy-Button-and-Big-Buddy

If you're not using whole disk encryption (or even partial encryption), then it doesn't really matter if you use a login password or not. The attacker can just clone the hard drive to gain access to your files.

Just a thought but would a inverse keylogger work?

I would guess something like this- an arduino hooked up to something you can operate (BigBuddy?). This could then ask you for your PIN code (2 taps, 3 taps, 2 taps)

Once arduino is happy it will quirt a pre-stored key sequence into the USB port, acting as a keyboard, and unlock what you need.

I have no idea if it is really viable but its the best I have.

Maybe some kind of NFC device that you could wear so that the computer would lock/unlock when you were near it ?

Hi, do you have any movement or dexterity in your fingers at all? If so, please offer details of this or any other control you have that might be exploited. I have a colleague who once-upon-a-time built a system of low-force buttons and other goodies that enabled a quadriplegic person to work a telephone very effectively, as in they were subsequently employed to do some kind of work over the telephone. Would something like that be of use?

I think you might also be able to make use of a kinect or Andriod/iPhone and some eye-tracking.

Also, do you know of these guys? It's where my colleague worked about twenty years ago. http://www.tirrfoundation.org/