In certain scenarios, a chip implant can be used as a password replacement for computer login. All of the possible options listed below require a product with an RFID chip that complies with the ISO14443A communication standard. What that standard is and how it works is not necessarily important for you to know in depth, you just need to know products or product bundles contain one. Here is a categorical list of products which do;
https://dangerousthings.com/category/iso14443A
That said, if you are looking for a good all around chip implant for general use cases like this and other access applications, I would suggest looking at the NExT since this chip implant has two actual completely separate chips (a 13.56MHz NFC chip and a 125kHz RFID chip) inside a single implantable shell.
Now for a rundown of the computer login options.
- ISO14443A chip and the KBR1
- ISO14443A chip, ACR122U, and Rohos software
- Windows 10
- No RFID support for MacOS
There are a few different combinations of chip type, reader, and software that can all work to get you logged in to your computer quickly. I will explain the different approaches in detail below.
ISO14443A chip and the KBR1
The easiest method to log into a computer is to use the KBR1 reader with an ISO14443A compliant chip implant. The KBR1 is what is known as a “keyboard wedge” reader. It works by reading the serial number of any ISO14443A chip and then “typing” that serial number as if it were a keyboard device being typed on by a human. The KBR1 requires no special drivers or software to operate, simply plug it in and most modern computer systems will recognize it as an additional keyboard. Scan a chip and the serial number will be typed out into whatever application is active at the time, including computer login password dialog boxes. The KBR1 will not read any user memory, so if your chip is ISO14443A and also NFC compliant, and you have some NFC data written to it, the KBR1 will not bother with that data. It will only read the serial number and type that out.
Logging in to Windows 10
Step 1) Simply plug in the KBR1 reader to a USB port on your computer.
Step 2) Bring up the Start menu and type sign to bring up Sign-in options under System settings.
Step 3) Add an alternate sign in PIN code by tapping the Add button under the PIN section.
Step 4) Enter your current password to enable adding a new PIN.
Step 5) With the cursor in the New PIN box, then scan your chip to “type” the new PIN code based on the chip’s serial number.
Step 6) Move the cursor to the Confirm PIN box and scan your chip again to again “type” the serial number. The scan will be followed by a “carriage return”, also knows as what is typed when you press the ENTER key. This means the PIN box will close as you have successfully added a new PIN to your account.
Step 7) Now lock your screen or log out. The login screen should ask for PIN code automatically, not password. However if you are asked for a password, you will also be able to click a PIN code icon to switch to PIN authentication. Scan your chip on the scanner and the serial number will be typed as the PIN code and ENTER will follow, automatically logging you in.
Logging in to Apple macOS
Step 1) Simply plug in the KBR1 reader to a USB port on your computer. On MacOS you may be asked to confirm the type of keyboard connected, and the default selection should be fine. It may also ask you to press some keys on the keyboard to verify your selection, but you can just close this dialog window to move on.
Step 2) Bring up System Preferences and go to Users & Groups to access the Change Password function.
Step 3) Bring up a text editor application you can use to capture the output of the KBR1 when you scan your ISO14443A compliant chip implant, then with the cursor in the text editor window, scan your chip and the serial number of your chip implant will be “typed out” by the KBR1 into the text editor window.
Step 4) Go back to the change password dialog window and enter your current password as requested, then manually type the serial number output into the text editor into the New password and Verify text boxes. You cannot copy and paste into these boxes, and your password is case sensitive as well so the password you type must match exactly what was output into the text editor.
Step 5) Now lock your screen or log out. The login screen will ask for your password. Scan your chip on the scanner and the serial number will be typed as the PIN code and ENTER will follow, automatically logging you in.
* Because MacOS does not offer an alternative PIN code style authentication option like we use in the above Windows 10 example, you should be careful to remember your “new password” as output by the KBR1, just in case you find yourself without your KBR1 scanner and still need to log in.
ISO14443A chip, ACR122U, and Rohos software
The ACR122U is a PC/SC capable CCID reader that allows more low level commands to be sent to the RFID chip it is scanning than the KBR1 does. The down side is that the reader alone can’t do anything. It needs additional application software to do anything other than been and show a green light on successful tag read. The upside though is that the ACR122U reader can leverage commands and features interactions of the tags it interacts with.
Rohos Logon Key is software from rohos.com that allows some interesting authentication options for Windows 10 and Mac OS, however the MacOS version does not support RFID like the Windows version does.
Logging in to Windows 10 with Rohos
Step 1) Download and install Rohos Logon Key from https://rohos.com
Step 2) Run Rohos Logon Key and tap Setup Authentication Key
Step 3) Place your ISO14443A chip implant on the ACR122U reader so the light remains green
Step 4) Enter your Windows 10 account password and hit enter
Step 5) Your key should now be enrolled. Now lock your screen or log out. Scan your chip on the ACR122U reader and you should automatically be logged in.