4 ms·
A version of this that's somehow aware of whether or not I'm at my desk, then puts the machine to sleep anytime anyone else touches a key would be kind of cool.
by the_watcher 7y ago
A version of this that's somehow aware of whether or not I'm at my desk, then puts the machine to sleep anytime anyone else touches a key would be kind of cool.
Maybe some kind of proximity sensor that you could stick to a badge or in your wallet? It would need to still allow you to login and perhaps offer a password to disable in case you forgot your sensor, but seems vaguely plausible?
EDIT: Read more of the usage guide, seems even more plausible now, although I guess it all depends on the reliability of the proximity sensor.
- solotronics 7y agoProbably an RFID would be better. There are some articles about doing pub/priv key auth using an RFID device, this would be good because nobody could snoop your RFID signal and replay it.
- ComputerGuru 7y agoSomewhat related, Windows 10 allows you to pair it to a phone with Bluetooth support. When you log into or unlock the device with that phone in proximity then walk away with the device on your person, your PC/laptop will lock immediately.
- icebraining 7y agoSame on Linux using blueproximity, which has been around for over a decade. Any paired device works, including BT headphones and such.
- smacktoward 7y agoUSBKill (https://github.com/hephaest0s/usbkill https://github.com/hephaest0s/usbkill) lists one approach to solving that problem in its README: - Set USBKill to watch the status of a particular USB port - Attach a lanyard to a USB key - Wear the lanyard on your wrist - Plug the USB key you're wearing into the port USBKill is watching Then anytime you step away from the machine, USBKill would notice the removal of the key and shut it down.
- JustSomeNobody 7y agoThis would just result in my yanking my laptop off the desk every time I got up.
- andai 7y agoI think with a short USB extension cord it could work. Moving away would angle the cord at just the right angle to pull the device out (from the end closer to you -- the other end would be at an angle and stay inside from friction).
- Fnoord 7y agoYubiKey with smartcard set up. Set it up if smartcard gets removed, computer gets locked. Works on macOS.
- DuskStar 7y agoThat is a rather different USBKill than I expected. https://usbkill.com/ https://usbkill.com/ sells something that you should REALLY never plug in to a computer you want to keep.
- hinkley 7y agoThere used to be variations on this that tied to your smart phone or watch. I don't recall if this is currently supported by iOS. But I got a Symbian phone shortly before working at a place where you had to keep your desktop locked at all times. There was an app that would lock your desktop on loss of Bluetooth connection at that time BT range was for all practical purposes less than 30 feet.
- SketchySeaBeast 7y agoDid it care if there was activity on your machine? I always worry about the system failing with these sorts of things.
- hinkley 7y agoIt triggered on the edge condition. When your phone died you knew because the screen would lock but after that you were fine. Someone broke one of the APIs it depended on as I recall. But I know Apple was talking about providing something similar circa apple watch v2. I thought I really needed that sort of functionality but I think the fact that I haven't been bothered to try to figure it out says that I don't really need it.