Is there a keyboard shortcut for the System Preferences lock? Is there a keyboard shortcut, or a way to create one, which does the equivalent of clicking the locked lock icon in the bottom left corner of locked System Preferences panes (which brings up the authentication dialogue)?
While there is no explicit keypress that will take you directly to the Lock icon that I know of, you can hit the Tab key repeatedly to select the tabs and checkboxes in a System Preferences window (I tested with the Security &amp; Privacy window) and end up at the Lock icon, which is then selected.

Not selected:



Selected:



Hit the Space bar, and the lock opens to the credentials login.



You will need to have System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Full Keyboard Access > All controls radio button selected:



Thanks, Nimesh, for pointing out this radio button. I had it enabled, but did not realize it.