btkey

The garage door opener of the internet.

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Our team wanted to create a new, more convenient form of authentication. These days, everything needs to be physically secured or password protected, including online accounts, phones, computers, safes, cars, and front doors. We created BTKey, a key that will unlock everything in your entire online life. We developed and tested BTKey with a Raspberry Pi Zero, but in production, this would likely be a small device you could keep on your person, like a credit card sized device or a key fob. When it gets near a device like your phone or computer that you have paired with your BTKey, the device will automatically unlock.

For a proof of concept, we developed a Google Chrome extension that can be used to store encrypted passwords. By bringing the BTKey near your computer, you can instantly log in to your favorite websites without having to type in usernames or passwords. Despite the significant increase in convenience, BTKey still manages to uphold a very high standard of security, using AES-256 encryption to secure all of your passwords. The only way to decrypt these passwords is with the 256-character randomly generated secret key that is stored only on the BTKey device. This means that if someone steals your computer, they will not be able to access your passwords without the BTKey. Likewise, if someone steals your BTKey, they will not be able access your passwords without your computer. In addition, not having to manually type passwords will encourage users to make their passwords longer.

There is also some starter code using the Smartcar API which will allow you to unlock your car when the BTKey gets near it, but we were not able to finish working on it.

BTKey is the next generation of two-factor authentication. It will eliminate the need for physical keys and passwords. We see BTKey being the new way for your devices to stay secure, while allowing you to go about your day smoothly and uninterrupted.

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