I have a 2017 13" MacBook Escape my company bought when I started last month. I had always set my personal MacBook (2015 15" rMBP) to require my full 28-character master password after 5 minutes of inactivity since my MacOS password was relatively simple (5 seemingly random alphanumeric characters).
The Escape, though, requires a more-complex password, so I’ve changed the settings to only lock when fast user switching or restarts happen. I also have it set to clear the clipboard contents after 90 seconds. This feels like a decent balance of security:convenience, especially since I can quickly unlock my MacBook with my Apple Watch.
Am I missing any glaring security holes? Theoretically, it doesn’t seem much less secure than what I’m doing with my 15" MBP and it’s a way better user-experience. Between Face ID on my iPhone and Apple Watch Unlocks on my Mac, I only have to enter the master password when I restart either device.
I would go nuts, I think, with a 28 character password. The few passwords I have to remember are 8 to 13 characters (upper/lower case, numbers, symbols). 1Password has the following Auto-locks turned on:
- Lock on Sleep
- Lock when fast user switching
- Clear clipboard contents after 90 seconds.
The Macs themselves require password 5 minutes after sleep. Back when I was working, I had the work computer lock immediately upon sleep and I’d sleep the computer whenever I got up.
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Maybe it’s because I’m working on an older model but I use a password on my 2010 White Macbook that’s 10 or so characters long. It’s easy for me to type and remember and has been the same for years. That said maybe I should change it. Once I upgrade I look forward to unlocking with my Apple Watch or fingerprint.
Mine is a passphrase that’s easy to remember but mixes words, spaces, numbers, and one character. It all makes sense said out loud but it looks like gobbledygook when typed.
Unlocking with the Apple Watch has been great - the only time it doesn’t work well is when I have my iPad connected as a second screen with the Duet app. Since the iPad can theoretically control the Mac in that setup, Apple disallows AW unlock.
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