Secure graphical password system for high traffic public areas

Abstract

Graphical passwords are expected to be easier to recall, less likely to be written down and have the potential to provide a richer symbol space than text based passwords. For example, a user might authenticate by clicking a series of points on an image, selecting a series of tiles, or by drawing a series of lines on the screen [Davis et al. 2004]. An example of the tiled approach is the Real User Corporation's PassFaces™ system [Real User, 2005] illustrated in Figure 1. For both text and graphical password entry systems the user needs to carefully enter the password in case a malicious user is observing the session via "shoulder surfing." Although some authors assume that graphical passwords will be entered on a small screen with a reduced observation angle [Jansen 2004], and thus dismiss the likelihood of shoulder surfing, this assumption is not always true.