Resolving the Ubuntu Linux “thread ‘main’ panicked” error

This article explains a common Ubuntu Linux error when managing passkeys, its likely cause in a corrupted keyring, and how to resolve it by resetting the platform {{glossary.Authenticator}} settings.

Error description

On Ubuntu Linux, users may encounter a thread 'main' panicked error when attempting to list, delete, or import passkeys. This error occurs when the authenticator encounters an unexpected condition during passkey operations and is unable to safely recover, resulting in the process terminating with a panic message such as called Result::unwrap().

thread 'main' panicked at 'called `Result::unwrap()` on an `Err` value: KeyStore(KeyStoreError { err_type: SecretService(NoResult), err_context: "" })', /root/.cargo/registry/src/packages.beyo
ndidentity.com-364d0d3b88306e15/hal-1.0.0/src/linux/mod.rs:11:55
note: run with `RUST_BACKTRACE=1` environment variable to display a backtrace

Cause

This error is most commonly caused by a corrupted, reset, or deleted keyring on the Ubuntu system. The Beyond Identity Authenticator relies on the system keyring to securely store and retrieve cryptographic material required for passkey operations. When the keyring is unavailable or in an inconsistent state, the authenticator cannot access required data and may terminate unexpectedly, resulting in the thread 'main' panicked error.

Keyring issues can occur after system updates, user profile changes, or manual modifications to keyring files, all of which can leave the authenticator without access to previously stored secrets.

Here’s an improved Solution section that’s clearer, safer, and more support-ready, with important context added:

Solution

This issue can be resolved by resetting the local Beyond Identity Authenticator state for the affected user. Resetting these files forces the authenticator to recreate its local data and recover from keyring-related inconsistencies.

1. Open a terminal session on the affected Ubuntu system.

2. Run the following commands:

rm ~/.beyond-identity/keystore.db
rm ~/.beyond-identity/sqlite.db

3. Restart the Beyond Identity Authenticator.

4. Re-enroll or re-import your passkeys as needed.

Important notes

• These commands remove locally stored authenticator data for the current user.

• Any existing passkeys on this device will need to be re-registered or migrated from another device after the reset.

• This does not affect passkeys stored on other devices or your organization’s configuration.

If the issue persists after resetting the local state, verify that the system keyring is accessible and functioning correctly, then contact your IT administrator or support team for further assistance.