def auto_key():
    """This method attempts to auto-generate a unique cryptographic key based on the hardware ID.
    It should *NOT* be used in production, or to replace a proper key, but it can help get will
    running in local and test environments more easily."""
    import uuid
    import time
    import random
    import hashlib

    node = uuid.getnode()

    h = hashlib.md5()
    h.update(str("%s" % node).encode('utf-8'))
    key1 = h.hexdigest()

    time.sleep(random.uniform(0, 0.5))
    node = uuid.getnode()

    h = hashlib.md5()
    h.update(str("%s" % node).encode('utf-8'))
    key2 = h.hexdigest()

    time.sleep(random.uniform(0, 0.5))
    node = uuid.getnode()

    h = hashlib.md5()
    h.update(str("%s" % node).encode('utf-8'))
    key3 = h.hexdigest()

    if key1 == key2 and key2 == key3:
        return key1

    return False