Show HN: PanicLock – Close your MacBook lid disable TouchID –> password unlock (github.com)
100 points by seanieb 7 hours ago
quicklywilliam 5 hours ago
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
alin23 4 hours ago
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
Wowfunhappy 36 minutes ago
At that point, why not just disable Touch ID?
hervature 28 minutes ago
surround an hour ago
> 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 unencrypted data remains on RAM.
The website says shutdown "takes time" and "kills your session" but a hibernation button would take effect just as fast and would preserve the session.
LoganDark an hour ago
Apple Silicon is at least much more difficult to attack in this way, though it might be possible.
jovial_cavalier an hour ago
a cop works for "the state," but he's definitely not a "state-level actor."
surround an hour ago
How do you define "state-level actor?" Police departments certainly have access to state and federal forensic resources to access unencrypted data in memory.
stackghost 14 minutes ago
mrdomino- 6 hours ago
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?
seanieb 6 hours ago
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.io/
mrdomino- 5 hours ago
Cool, thank you.
420official 4 hours ago
While it's true that the legality of law enforcement forcing passwords in unclear, courts can absolutely force you to enter a password even if it's not written down by holding you in contempt indefinitely.
xoa 3 hours ago
>courts can absolutely force you to enter a password even if it's not written down by holding you in contempt indefinitely.
This is not true outside of a narrow exception. Indeed this is the core point of the 5th Amendment, to protect you from having to be witness against yourself. It's just as binding on the judicial branch as it is on the executive. Ordinarily, a court may not compel a defendant to testify or say something that could incriminate them.
The narrow exception is the "foregone conclusion doctrine", which allows compelling testimony about specific evidence the government legally knows exists, knows the defendant controls access to, and knows is authentic. All of which has a bunch of caselaw around it. The textbook example is somebody has a device open, and an officer directly witnesses illegal material on it, but before they can seize it the person manages to turn it off and now it cannot be accessed without a password. So the government can say "we witnessed this specific illegal material, and this device is owned by the defendant and we can prove from video that they have accessed the device, and we want access to that specific material". But if you're just crossing the border with a locked device, they cannot compel the password just to search through it, or even if they're suspicious of something specific. They need actual knowledge, either through their own evidence or because the person foolishly talks and confesses something.
Otherwise they can definitely physically seize the device for a time (which could be very inconvenient/expensive depending) but that's it.
xoxxala 6 hours ago
The website has some more info on the biometric vs. password debate and legal situation:
whalesalad 4 hours ago
Take it to the logical end - you can tie up / handcuff / sedate / restrain an individual in order to get their fingerprint (or, ahem, way worse) but you cannot extract a password from someones brain.
vunderba 3 hours ago
> cannot extract a password from someones brain.
May I introduce you to XKCD Number 538.
stavros 4 hours ago
If it's in scope to "way worse" someone to get their fingerprint, I'm sure I can be very persuasive in getting their passwords.
whalesalad 2 hours ago
freehorse 4 hours ago
This is great. I see many times "security advice" against biometrics replacing password unlock, but most of the time I am more worried about getting recorded by somebody/something while typing a password in the open than anything else. This makes it better for those other cases.
gruturo 2 hours ago
This would be perfect if it could monitor the force with which the lid is closed (macs have accelerometers after all, either this info or an acceptable proxy could be derived?).
Gently close? no action.
Stronger, faster action? Disable touch ID
Slam shut in full panic? yeah disable all biometrics, lose all state, even wipe the ram and the filevault key if it's an option
thih9 2 hours ago
Perfect rage quitting machine. There should be an enterprise version: when lid is closed with full force it also sends a professional resignation letter to the current employer.
QuercusMax 2 hours ago
You must not have cats or children if you think that last one is reasonable
gruturo 2 hours ago
Ok just unload the filevault key from ram, better? And if possible tell the secure enclave to revert to the before-first-unlock state
wolvoleo 2 hours ago
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.
bhj 2 hours ago
Pressing and holding Power + Vol Up/Down is the current combo
rglover 2 hours ago
This is awesome, thank you. Was just thinking about this problem the other day. Glad someone whipped something up.
p0w3n3d 5 hours ago
What's the rationale? It should be described in the README.md IMO
seanieb 5 hours ago
That's good feedback. I just added it to the readme:
> "PanicLock fills a gap macOS leaves open: there is no built-in way to instantly disable Touch ID when it matters. Biometrics are convenient day-to-day, and sometimes preferable when you need speed or want to avoid your password being observed. But in sensitive situations, law enforcement and border agents in many countries can compel a biometric unlock in ways they cannot with a password. PanicLock gives you a one-click menu bar button, a customizable hotkey, or an automatic lock-on-lid-close option that immediately disables Touch ID and locks your screen, restoring password-only protection without killing your session or shutting down."
I've more details on the apps landing page - paniclock.github.io
itsdesmond 5 hours ago
A person might use it to stop someone getting into your computer through certain types of physical coercion, forcing your finger to the reader, or (much less likely but I’m sure security services know how) a copy of your fingerprint.
But it isn’t a why, it is a what. That what is a tool that lets you quickly disable Touch ID for whatever reason you want to.
ttul 6 hours ago
The 2026 version of "Boss Key".
Forgeties79 6 hours ago
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.
jonpalmisc 4 hours ago
This still leaves your device in an AFU (after first unlock) state, with user data decrypted, and should not be treated as secure.
The only thing you can do (to protect your data from forensics, etc) is to return it to BFU by shutting it off.
seanieb 4 hours ago
Correct. This is a classic security vs convenience tradeoff. I mention that trade off on the landing page, PanicLock vs Shutdown
> Use shutdown when you can, PanicLock when you can't. Shutting down is the most secure option—but when you need your Mac locked now and you'll be back in five minutes, PanicLock is your answer.
*PanicLock* - Fast "oh shit" button - Lid closed when in transit. - Instant lock (1 second). Disables Touch ID immediately - Preserves your session - Back to work in minutes
*Full Shutdown* - Maximum security - Purges encryption keys - Fully locks FileVault - Takes time to shutdown & restart - Kills your session
Forgeties79 4 hours ago
Better than nothing and keeps them from having unlocked access. You can do it fast in your pocket.
chuckadams 5 hours ago
Bringing up the shutdown screen (hold lock and either volume button) will also do it.
itsdesmond 5 hours ago
I did not know that. That is extremely convenient. Thank you.
freehorse 4 hours ago
sigio 5 hours ago
On GrapheneOS (and maybe android generic?) this calls the emergency number, I just found out (with a 5 second timer to cancel this luckily)
orthogonal_cube 5 hours ago
Honestly I’m surprised this wasn’t already a feature in macOS. Thank you for coding it and publishing as open-source!
nailer 2 hours ago
If someone can force you to use touch id they can probably also force you to enter your password.
(If you’re about to comment about fingerprints on transparency film and balloons filled with warm water then yes good point)