Another more Linuxy-Thing to try: build a pam (authentication/authorization/etc) module to embed your own secret or come up with a fun/unique way to enter your

Another more Linuxy-Thing to try: build a pam (authentication/authorization/etc) module to embed your own secret or come up with a fun/unique way to enter your password (e.g. you can not login unless you plugged your headphones in, etc :) ) This makes you very aware of the way login works in linux and teaches you how to compile your library as a shared object conforming to an interface. Of course, you should be aware that you just baked your own security mechanism, so use it that way and better avoid using it for anything sensitive :)