2 days ago, waking my 2020 MBP 16" from sleep, it didn't accept my system password. I tried switching the input language as this was a source for trouble a while back, but it was no use - I was locked out of my system. So I reset the password via iCloud to the same password I had before and this worked out fine. I regained access to the macbook and I was able to use my device for 2 days. This was on Catalina 10.15.7.
Yesterday, I updated to Big Sur, no issues. I didn't change my PW while doing so. System worked fine and PW worked for login and unlocking restricted system preferences.
Today I was entering my system password repeatedly for tweaks and login and this worked out fine until about an hour ago. The system did not sleep for 5 hours straight up to this point. When I wanted to retrieve a forgotten PW in keychain I realized it won't let me see it using my current system password. So I opened system preferences and checked if my PW still worked to unlock tweaks in there - NO it does not!!
So I started typing various passwords I used for other accounts but were NEVER used as a system/login PW for the mac. Suddenly, the PW I exclusively use for Office 365 / Onedrive via University account works as a system PW...!!! I mean, what the ****??!! Somehow this application password suddenly replaced my regular system PW!?
Since I didn't try this PW combo when I was locked out the first time, my guess is this happened twice on 2 different operating systems!! Since obviously I don't want this to happen again, I needed to remove PW protection from the device, which is unacceptable.
How is this even possible? To me it sounds like a keychain issue... Any ideas how to solve this? I'm afraid it will happen again if I reactivate my system password.
Additional info:
I'm using keychain via icloud.
PRAM Reset & SMC Resets didn't help the first time.
Didn't change system PW since I got the device in April 2020.
A BitDefender deep system scan didn't find any threats.
Yesterday, I updated to Big Sur, no issues. I didn't change my PW while doing so. System worked fine and PW worked for login and unlocking restricted system preferences.
Today I was entering my system password repeatedly for tweaks and login and this worked out fine until about an hour ago. The system did not sleep for 5 hours straight up to this point. When I wanted to retrieve a forgotten PW in keychain I realized it won't let me see it using my current system password. So I opened system preferences and checked if my PW still worked to unlock tweaks in there - NO it does not!!
So I started typing various passwords I used for other accounts but were NEVER used as a system/login PW for the mac. Suddenly, the PW I exclusively use for Office 365 / Onedrive via University account works as a system PW...!!! I mean, what the ****??!! Somehow this application password suddenly replaced my regular system PW!?
Since I didn't try this PW combo when I was locked out the first time, my guess is this happened twice on 2 different operating systems!! Since obviously I don't want this to happen again, I needed to remove PW protection from the device, which is unacceptable.
How is this even possible? To me it sounds like a keychain issue... Any ideas how to solve this? I'm afraid it will happen again if I reactivate my system password.
Additional info:
I'm using keychain via icloud.
PRAM Reset & SMC Resets didn't help the first time.
Didn't change system PW since I got the device in April 2020.
A BitDefender deep system scan didn't find any threats.