The present system and method enables the automatic detection and identification of authorized users within proximity of a computing apparatus and, after verifying, using biometric detection and analysis, that the user is authorized to access the target, providing the user with such access. The system comprises a computer appliance target requiring authentication of a user in order to access the target, including software stored on and executing from the target, a biometric input device, and a transceiver enabling short-range wireless communication with other wireless capable devices; a database accessible to the target; and a beacon device associated with the user, including at least a transceiver and a locally stored encrypted identity token associating the device with the identity of the user; wherein the transceiver on the target periodically scans for the beacon device within the short-range, and upon detection, establishes communication with the beacon device and requests the identity token, the beacon device receives the request and sends the identity token back to the target which decrypts and validates the token by comparing token data with stored token data in the database and upon successful decryption and validation of the identity token, the software initializes a biometric test input to positively identify the user in possession of the beacon, wherein the software of the target attempts to match the biometric input with second biometric input of the user stored in the database and upon a successful match, unlocks the target and allows the user to operate the target.