keychain

Apple has issued a supplemental update for version 10.8.2 of OS X, which addresses a few problems users are having with the way the OS handles the Keychain in some systems. The update is for Macs issued in 2012, and is a small 26.65MB download that will apply new versions of the SecurityAgent process and its supporting daemons and configuration files.

SecurityAgent is a background process that implements protocols for accessing certificates, keychains, and other security measures in OS X, and provides interface elements for user interaction with these, including dialog boxes that prompt for usernames and … Read more

Yesterday a new open-source project was posted on GitHub that contains the source code for a utility to scour a Mac system's memory and list the entire contents of a targeted keychain. While this utility may raise some concern and its approach potentially be used for malicious activities, its abilities do not arise from a vulnerability in OS X.

The utility is a small C program called keychaindump that, with administrative privileges, will scan the system's active memory for the wrapper and master keys to unlock a targeted keychain file; however, the utility will work only on keychains … Read more

Your iPhone comes packing a pretty decent camera, but there's no camera on the planet that doesn't benefit from the stability of a tripod.

Just one problem: Tripods tend to be long, large, unwieldy accessories, not the kind of the things you can just slip into your pocket.

Until now. Photojojo's Tiltpod Mobile puts an iPhone tripod on your keychain.

If the name sounds familiar, you might be thinking of the original Tiltpod, which combined a magnetic tripod-mount screw head with a small base designed to be worn on your wrist. It was built for small point-and-shoot … Read more

After updating OS X, some users have found they cannot access Web sites or other online content that is secured with a signed certificate. If you are experiencing this problem, when accessing such resources either through Safari or thorough applications like the Mac App Store, you may get an error stating that the Web site's identity cannot be verified, or that the certificate authority is an invalid issuer.

This problem is affecting a number of people who updated their systems from OS X 10.7.3 to the latest OS X 10.7.4 version. For some, it seems … Read more

Last week Apple released a security update to address the DigiNotar root certificate vulnerability, but in doing so revealed that the company may no longer support PowerPC-based Macs, at least when it comes to security updates. Unlike previous security updates that have supported Leopard and even Tiger, Apple's latest update requires OS X 10.6 and OS X 10.7, and this means that users running OS X 10.5 will not be able to update their systems.

If you have an early Intel-based Mac that is running Tiger or Leopard, then the only way to ensure you can … Read more

If you're like me and you don't like little sharp metal objects jingling around in your pocket, scratching up your phone, and ripping holes in your pants, you may be looking for a way to manage your keychain. The Keyport Slide aims to do just that, replacing your keychain with a slick looking aluminum chassis that sheathes your keys, creating a solid unit that doesn't jingle around and weighs next to nothing--as long as you aren't carrying more than six keys around at a time.

The Slide measures 4 inches long by 1.25 inches wide … Read more

Many a tense movie moment has hinged on a character desperately sorting through a ring of keys, trying to find the right one that opens the door to safety. That plot gimmick could become a relic of the past if the new Keyport Slide catches on in Hollywood.

This little metal gizmo replaces the unwieldy and old-fashioned keychain with something more akin to a Gerber Multitool. This is the keychain MacGyver would have if he ever emerges from the '80s.

Each keyport comes with a set of blank key blades that you have cut to match your existing keys. They disappear into the box when not in use and slide out at the push of a tiny button. The buttons are color-coded so you have a better chance of finding the right key at the right moment. That's handy if you plan to star in a horror flick.

The whole package comes across as something that Q developed down in the 007 laboratory. "If you see this slim box, James, you'll notice that it contains your Aston Martin key, a flashlight, and a martini stir stick for emergencies."

The standard Keyport Slide bundle runs $79 and includes six standard key blades. Even fully loaded, the Keyport still skims in at less than 2 ounces. A true geek won't be satisfied with just keys. You'll need to show off the optional flashlight, bottle opener, and USB drive. The LED insert costs $10, the bottle opener comes in at $6, and the USB drives are available for $19 for 4GB and $29 for 8GB. You can store a decent amount of top secret data with that.… Read more

When you lock a keychain in OS X, the system will make a brief sound like a latch closing, which indicates that the keychain has been locked. In most systems this will not regularly happen, but if you have created alternate keychains or have modified your login keychain to automatically lock, then this sound is a convenient indicator that you will need to reauthenticate to use your keychain. A number of people have found that after upgrading to OS X 10.6.7 they hear this keychain lock sound occur rather frequently.

This problem is likely happening mostly for people … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed from our readers. This week we have questions on the OS X keychain not saving passwords, internal speakers no longer working on a MacBook Pro, an external optical drive not reading some discs, and Apple's FaceTime application not running. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few here, we certainly welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: OS X Keychain not saving passwords

MacFixIt reader "Raul" asks:

My OS X Keychain does … Read more