swiftGuard
Anti-forensic macOS tray app that monitors USB ports and triggers shutdown/hibernation on unauthorized device activity.
What is swiftGuard?
swiftGuard is an anti-forensic macOS tray application designed to safeguard your system by monitoring USB ports. It automatically triggers a shutdown or hibernation if an unauthorized USB device is connected or a connected device is removed, helping to prevent data theft and unauthorized access. The app allows whitelisting trusted devices and offers both GUI and CLI interfaces.
Mac users concerned with physical security, including individuals in public environments, server administrators, and professionals needing compliance with data protection regulations.
Developers choose swiftGuard for its focused anti-forensic capabilities, lightweight design, and open-source transparency, providing a specialized layer of defense against USB-based attacks that built-in macOS features don't address.
Overview
Anti-forensic macOS tray application designed to safeguard your system by monitoring USB ports.
Use Cases
Best For
- Preventing data exfiltration via unauthorized USB devices
- Adding anti-forensic measures against physical seizure of your Mac
- Securing macOS systems in public places like libraries or cafes
- Protecting home servers or NAS devices from USB-based attacks
- Complying with strict data protection regulations in regulated industries
- Monitoring USB ports on headless systems via its CLI mode
Not Ideal For
- Environments where automatic system shutdowns could cause data loss or disrupt critical workflows, such as servers handling real-time transactions
- Teams needing cross-platform security tools that work on Windows or Linux without additional setup
- Users who frequently connect new, untrusted USB devices without the ability to pre-whitelist them in advance
Pros & Cons
Pros
Monitors USB ports even in sleep mode, providing constant vigilance against unauthorized connections, as explicitly stated in the Features section of the README.
Offers customizable shutdown or hibernation with a settable countdown timer, allowing users to defuse alarms, detailed in the Usage GUI instructions.
Provides both a GUI for desktop users and a CLI for headless systems, catering to diverse use cases as highlighted in the Key Features and CLI usage sections.
Consumes minimal system resources and only connects to the internet for update checks, ensuring performance and privacy, as noted in the Features list.
Cons
At version 0.0.2 with a roadmap of unfinished features like Linux support and Bluetooth detection, it lacks maturity and may have stability issues or bugs.
Installing the CLI requires cloning the repo, setting up a Python virtual environment with poetry, and manual configuration, which is cumbersome for non-developers, as detailed in the CLI installation steps.
Currently only supports macOS, with Linux support planned for later, restricting its use in cross-platform or enterprise environments, as acknowledged in the Roadmap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
StrongholdEasily configure macOS security settings from the terminal.
NoxKeymacOS secrets manager with Touch ID. Stores API keys in the Keychain, detects AI agents, delivers secrets via encrypted handoff. Free, open source, local-only. A dotenv alternative for developers.
Dylib Hijack ScannerUtility for scanning apps vulnerable to dylib hijacking. Open-Source Software Freeware
LockpawMenu bar screen guard for macOS — lock and unlock your screen with a hotkey. Open-Source Software Freeware
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.