A closer look at Rohos Logon Key for Mac

Rohos Logon Key for Mac (v2.3) can turn any USB flash drive, iPod, Bluetooth enabled mobile, iPhone, YubiKey, UmiKey, Swekey OTP token, or Touchatag device with RFID tags into a security key for your Mac. It allows secure login, keychain access and desktop unlock.

The installation process is fast and simple. The welcome screen is also very simplistic:

Press the ON button to start the process of converting a device – in this case, a USB flash drive – into a security token. Any USB flash drive with on-board serial number can be used. Choose the drive:

You will have to authorize this choice by typing in your Mac login password, then specify the action that the drive will trigger after it is removed from the computer.

Choose a PIN code for the USB drive so that if someone tries to use it to access your computer, he is required to type in the PIN to make it work.

After the third wrong PIN attempt, the USB Key is blocked and can’t be used for authentication.

When choosing the PIN for the first time, just leave the Old PIN field empty. Incidentally, the PIN doesn’t have to be a string of numbers – think of it as a password and choose a strong one:

Set additional preferences:

As you can see, you can even restrict access to the software itself, and make the program activate a password protected screensaver upon USB key removal.

If you don’t tick off the “Allow to login only by using USB key” option, you can login into your computer either by using the USB drive or by entering your Mac login password. If you choose to make the USB drive the only means of login, it would be wise to make a duplicate in case the first one gets lost or stolen.

If you use your mobile phone with Bluetooth as the key, you can lock your Mac by simply stepping away from it and unlock it automatically by coming closer.

Rohos Logon Key for Mac offers a handy alternative to password protecting your computer. It is perfect for users who regularly forget to shut down their computers or their login password.

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