Obfuscated passwords

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016164681-A1
Application number	US-201414562796-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for obfuscating an electronic password can include receiving at least a first symbol of a first password, wherein the first password has a plurality of symbols. Next, a second password (the obfuscated password) can be generated, the second password being derived from the first password using an obfuscation rule, wherein the second password includes the symbols of the first password and at least one obfuscating symbol generated from a first symbol of the first password (generating symbol) and the obfuscation rule. It can then be determined whether to provide a feedback indicator. A feedback indicator can be provided, in response to determining to provide the feedback indicator, wherein the feedback indicator corresponds with an instruction to enter an obfuscating symbol according to the obfuscating rule, the obfuscating symbol being from the second password. Finally, access can be granted to a session in response to receiving the second password.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for obfuscating an electronic password, comprising:
receiving at least a first symbol of a first password, wherein the first password has a plurality of symbols; generating a second password derived from the first password using an obfuscation rule,
wherein the second password includes the symbols of the first password and at least one obfuscating symbol generated from a first symbol of the first password (generating symbol) and the obfuscation rule,
determining whether to provide a feedback indicator; providing, in response to determining to provide the feedback indicator, the feedback indicator, wherein the feedback indicator corresponds with an instruction to enter an obfuscating symbol according to the obfuscating rule, the obfuscating symbol being from the second password; and granting access to a session in response to receiving the second password.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a feedback indicator comprises vibrating an electronic device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a second password comprises determining a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password for each session access attempt.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password is generated for each session access attempt by applying the obfuscation rule to a set of generating symbols.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the set of generating symbols are randomly selected from the first password.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback indicator is selected from the group consisting of auditory, haptic, and visual cues.

7 . A system for obfuscating an electronic password, the system comprising:
a password obfuscating module configured to:
receive at least a first symbol of a first password, wherein the first password has a plurality of symbols;
generate a second password derived from the first password using an obfuscation rule, wherein the second password includes the symbols of the first password and at least one obfuscating symbol generated from a first symbol of the first password (generating symbol) and the obfuscation rule; and
a password validating module configured to:
determine whether to provide a feedback indicator;
provide, in response to determining to provide the feedback indicator, the feedback indicator, wherein the feedback indicator corresponds with an instruction to enter an obfuscating symbol according to the obfuscating rule, the obfuscating symbol being from the second password, and
grant access to a session in response to receiving the second password.

8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a vibrating electronic device to serve as a feedback indicator.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the password obfuscating module is further configured to determine a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password for each session access attempt.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the password obfuscating module is further configured to generate a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password for each session access attempt by applying the obfuscation rule to a set of generating symbols.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the password obfuscating module is further configured to randomly select the set of generating symbols from the first password.

12 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a feedback device configured to generate a feedback indicator selected from the group consisting of auditory, haptic, and visual cues.

13 . A computer program product for obfuscating an electronic password, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to perform a method comprising:
receiving at least a first symbol of a first password, wherein the first password has a plurality of symbols; generating a second password derived from the first password using an obfuscation rule,
wherein the second password includes the symbols of the first password and at least one obfuscating symbol generated from a first symbol of the first password (generating symbol) and the obfuscation rule,
determining whether to provide a feedback indicator; providing, in response to determining to provide the feedback indicator, the feedback indicator, wherein the feedback indicator corresponds with an instruction to enter an obfuscating symbol according to the obfuscating rule, the obfuscating symbol being from the second password; and granting access to a session in response to receiving the second password.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein providing a feedback indicator comprises vibrating an electronic device.

15 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein generating a second password comprises determining a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password for each session access attempt.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein a unique sequence of obfuscating symbols for the second password is generated for each session access attempt by applying the obfuscation rule to a set of generating symbols.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the set of generating symbols are randomly selected from the first password.

18 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the feedback indicator is selected from the group consisting of auditory, haptic, and visual cues.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Jiang Tao Tt
• Romano George J
• Zhao guo xin

Classifications

• H04L2209/04

  Masking or blinding · CPC title

• 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