Reducing the effectiveness of smudge and thermal imaging attacks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016112199-A1
Application number	US-201414514401-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example method is provided for an electronic device, which may have a display and an input interface, to perform password authentication. The example method may include generating at least one sequence of input elements for entry during the authentication of the user's password to disguise entry of the user's password via the input interface by increasing the user's contact with the input interface and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements via the input interface. The example method may further include receiving, via the input interface, entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements and determining whether the authentication is successful by checking whether the received entry is correct.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for an electronic device with a display and an input interface to perform password authentication, the method comprising:
generating at least one sequence of input elements for entry during the authentication of the user's password to disguise entry of the user's password via the input interface by increasing contact of the user with the input interface; prompting, on the display, for an entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements via the input interface; receiving, via the input interface, entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements; and determining whether the authentication is successful by checking whether the received entry is correct.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence of input elements comprise:
before the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a prefix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the prefix sequence.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence of input elements comprise:
after the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a postfix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the postfix sequence.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence of input elements comprise:
before the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a prefix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the prefix sequence; and after the entry of the prefix sequence and user's password is prompted, generating a postfix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the postfix sequence.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the postfix sequence comprises:
generating the postfix sequence based on, at least in part, the prefix sequence or the user's password, or both.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the postfix sequence based on the prefix sequence or user's password comprises:
determining a set of keys of the input interface that are used for the entry of the prefix sequence or user's password; and generating the postfix sequence that requires at least one key that is not in the set of keys.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the prefix sequence comprises: generating the prefix sequence based on, at least in part, the user's password.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the prefix sequence comprises: generating the prefix sequence randomly using a random sequence generator.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements comprises:
prior to performing the password authentication, tracking usage of keys of the input interface; and based on the tracked usage, generating the at least one sequence to exclude at least one key that is most frequently used, or to include at least one key that is not used or least frequently used.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements is based on a user configuration relating to one or more of the following:
length of the at least one sequence of input elements; complexity of the at least one sequence of input elements; whether to generate a prefix sequence, a postfix sequence, or both; whether to track usage of the input interface to generate the at least one sequence of input elements; whether to generate the prefix sequence based on the user's password; and whether to generate the postfix sequence based on the prefix sequence or user's password, or both.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes a set of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor of an electronic device, causes the processor to perform a method for password authentication, the method comprising:
generating at least one sequence of input elements for entry during the authentication of the user's password to disguise entry of the user's password via the input interface by increasing contact of the user with an input interface of the electronic device; prompting, on a display of the electronic device, for an entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements via the input interface; receiving, via the input interface, entry of the user's password and the at least one sequence of input elements; and determining whether the authentication is successful by checking whether the received entry is correct.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the at least one sequence and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence comprise:
before the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a prefix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the prefix sequence.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence of input elements comprise:
after the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a postfix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the postfix sequence.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the at least one sequence of input elements and prompting for the entry of the at least one sequence of input elements comprise:
before the entry of the user's password is prompted, generating a prefix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the prefix sequence; and after the entry of the prefix sequence and user's password is prompted, generating a postfix sequence and prompting, on the display, for an entry of the postfix sequence.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein generating the postfix sequence comprises:
generating the postfix sequence based on, at least in part, the prefix sequence or the user's password, or both.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the postfix sequence based on the prefix sequence or user's password comprises:
determining a set of keys of the input interface that are used for the entry of the prefix sequence or user's password; and generating the postfix sequence that requires at least one key that is not in the set of keys.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein generating the prefix sequence comprises: generating the prefix sequence based on, at least in part, the user's password.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein generating the prefix sequence comprises: generating the prefix sequence using a random sequence generator.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the at least one sequence is based on a user configuration relating to one or more of the following:
length of the at least one sequence of input elements; complexity of the at least one sequence of input elements; whether to generate a prefix sequence, a postfix sequence, or both; whether to track usage of keys of the input interface to generate the at least one sequence of input elements; whether to generate the prefix sequence based on the user's password; and whether

Assignees

• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Lu Kecheng
• Ouyang Jian
• Kiryakoza James

Classifications

• H04L9/3226 Primary

  using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083) · CPC title

• H04L63/10

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title

• G09C5/00

  Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages · CPC title

• H04L63/083

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title