Device Review: Gatekeeper device: The ultimate security guard to your PC?

What is Gatekeeper device?

Gatekeeper device can be simply described as a key that locks and unlocks your computer. The device comes in the package with a key, USB dongle (like the receiver of a wireless mouse), coin shaped non-rechargeable CR2032H battery to power the key, and key strap to prevent losing this small device. The key inherits a rectangular shape that comes with a dimension of 45 x 25 x 6 mm and employs Bluetooth technology to track its distance from the computer. To use the gatekeeper device, the USB dongle should be inserted into the USB port of the computer. The second step should be to download the Gatekeeper software, which is available on the official website of Untethered Lab. Once the user pairs the PC with key and inserts the credentials (PIN and password) in the software, the Gatekeeper device is good to go.

As the key, along with the user moves a certain distance away from the computer, the key sends the Bluetooth signal to the dongle to lock the computer. As soon as the dongle receives the signal, the computer gets locked. Likewise, the PC gets unlocked, when the key reaches the vicinity of the PC. Lock options and modes to get back into your PC after the lock can be selected from the software.

My experience with Gatekeeper device

I used this device for a week of time. During the time of use, I find the device very handy. The device uses Bluetooth 4.0, due to which, it is capable of locking and unlocking the paired computer seamlessly. During my time of use, I set the lock range (in the software) to Near. On the use, I had not been able to track the actual locking distance because it varied on every use. However, when the key was 4-5m away from the PC, I found my PC always locked.  The device also comes with a small button on the left, which when pressed, beeps with a small green LED on and locks the PC. This button comes handy when the user is unsure whether the PC is locked. For the small size of the key, I had troubles finding it most of the time. But when I discover the Gatekeeper app, finding the key did not bother me at all. The Gatekeeper app is developed by CoolCAD Electronics and is available on App Store and Play Store. The app helps the user to buzz the Gatekeeper key and helps to locate it. The security offered by the device is reliable. I experimented different methods to fool the Gatekeeper security and to penetrate the locked computer, but my every attempt turned futile. To sum up, the device is very useful, where privacy is the primary concern. This device finds its scope to conceal the personal privacy, IT security, health care and government bodies’ confidentiality. The device is easy to use, and the security is reliable. I found no glitches on the device except for the locking of the PC sometimes even when the PC and key were in proximity.