Image forming apparatus with password strength display function

Abstract

To provide a secure and highly-convenient image forming apparatus for providing a setting method regarding a requested password strength level, and a control method and program of the same.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: password strength calculation means for calculating a strength of a password input by a user; request means for requesting display of a screen including a password strength meter for indicating a strength level determined based on the calculated strength; and setting means for setting a strength level of a password to be set on the image forming apparatus. The strength level determined based on the calculated strength and the set strength level are compared to change a display content of the password strength meter in accordance with a result of the comparison.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function for displaying password strength, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Passwords are the most commonly used authentication method around the world, but there have been many incidents where information has been easily stolen due to people setting weak passwords.

[0003] NIST SP800-63-3, proposed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a guideline for password security. One of the things that should be done regarding passwords in this guideline is to recommend that users should be provided with guidance such as a password strength meter when setting their passwords. Related prior art is available in Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US8108685 publication Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There are many websites that have a password strength meter that calculates the strength of the password entered when the user sets a password and updates the display according to the calculated strength. The password strength level required by these websites is predetermined, and users cannot change it to any value.

[0006] When a password strength meter is installed in an embedded device such as an image forming device, the required password strength level may differ depending on the environment the image forming device is installed in. Therefore, if the administrator cannot set an arbitrary strength level, there is a problem that it is not possible to set a password that meets the password strength required by the organization.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for setting a required password strength level. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An image forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention is an image forming device that registers passwords of users who use image forming functions and / or edits the passwords, and is characterized by having a password strength calculation means that calculates the strength of the password entered by the user, a request means that requests the display of a screen that includes a password strength meter that shows a strength level determined based on the calculated strength, and a setting means that sets the strength level of the password to be set in the image forming device, and is characterized by comparing the strength level determined based on the calculated strength with the set strength level and changing the display content of the password strength meter depending on the result of the comparison. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention provides a method for setting a required password strength level, and can provide a secure and highly convenient information processing device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a network configuration. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an MFP. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a setting screen in a local UI. [Figure 5]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a user management screen. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow of determining whether to display a password strength meter on the local UI. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a user interface of a software keyboard. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an operational flow of a password strength meter display process. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display content of a password strength meter. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing an operation flow when resetting a password at login. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the remote UI for determining whether to display a password strength meter. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a password strength meter display screen of the Remote UI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described using an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) equipped with image forming functions such as copying, printing, and scanning, which is installed in an office, as an example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

[0013] <System configuration> A network configuration in an office environment of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. MFP 101 is an MFP to which the present invention is applied. MFP 101 communicates with a PC terminal (e.g., PC 102) connected via network LAN 103. A user can access MFP 101 from a web browser on the PC terminal and use the remote UI of MFP 101. MFP 101 can also receive print jobs and access requests to documents stored in MFP 101 from the terminal (e.g., PC 102). Although MFP 101 in embodiment 1 of the present invention is installed in the environment of network LAN 103, it may also be installed in other environments, and MFP 101 can be configured according to the environment in which it is installed.

[0014] <Hardware configuration> 2 is a simplified diagram showing the hardware configuration of the MFP 101. The CPU 201 is a central processing unit (processor) that controls the overall operation of the MFP 101. The RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 is a volatile memory and a work area that is used as a temporary storage area for expanding various control programs stored in the ROM 202 and HDD 204.

[0015] The ROM 202 is a nonvolatile memory that stores a boot program for the MFP 101. The HDD 204 is a nonvolatile hard disk with a larger capacity than the RAM 203. The HDD 204 stores a control program for the MFP. The OS (Operating System) and application programs are also stored in the HDD 204.

[0016] When the MFP 101 starts up, the CPU 201 executes a boot program stored in the ROM 202. This boot program reads out an OS (Operating System) program stored in the HDD 204 and loads it on the RAM 203. After executing the boot program, the CPU 201 subsequently executes the OS program loaded on the RAM 203 and controls the MFP 101. The CPU 201 also stores data used for operations by the control program on the RAM 203 and reads and writes the data.

[0017] In the MFP 101, one CPU 201 executes each process shown in the flowcharts described below, but other configurations are also possible. For example, multiple CPUs or microprocessors (MPUs) can cooperate to execute each process shown in the flowcharts described below. Also, some of the processes described below can be executed using hardware circuits such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0018] The operation panel 205 is a touch-operable display.

[0019] The printer 206 is a printer engine that prints print data received from the outside via a communication unit 208 and digital data acquired from a scanner 207 .

[0020] The scanner 207 is a scanner device that reads a paper document and converts it into digital data.

[0021] The communication unit 208 is a network interface for connecting to the Internet or an office LAN (Local Area Network). The IC card reader 209 is a device for reading information used for user authentication from an IC card and is a unit required for realizing IC card authentication. The USB interface 210 is an interface to which devices compatible with the USB standard can be attached.

[0022] <Software configuration> 3 is a simplified diagram showing the software configuration of the MFP 101. A local UI 301 of the MFP 101 uses the display of the operation panel 205 to provide a user interface for a user locally accessing the MFP 101 to change settings and use functions of the MFP 101.

[0023] The remote UI 302 has a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server function. It provides a user with a user interface written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) for the external device being remotely accessed. The user interface includes information related to the use and settings of the image forming device's functions, as well as an authentication screen for entering information related to user authentication for using those functions.

[0024] A user can access the remote UI 302 using a web browser on a PC terminal and change the settings or use the functions of the MFP 101. The web browser on the PC terminal displays a user interface configured in HTML. The user can change the settings or use the functions by operating the user interface displayed in this web browser.

[0025] The user authentication service 303 is a software module that authenticates a user who uses the local UI 301 or the remote UI 302. Although not shown, the user authentication service 303 also has a function of allowing an authenticated user to log in to the MFP 101.

[0026] The user authentication service 303 authenticates a user using the local UI 301 with a username, password, or IC card input from the keyboard. It also authenticates a user using the remote UI 302 with a username, password, and one-time password. The IC card reader driver 304 is a driver that controls the IC card reader 209, acquires information from the IC card, and provides the IC card information to the user authentication service 303. The user authentication service 303 includes the function of a password strength calculation unit 306 that calculates the strength of an input password.

[0027] <Password strength> Password strength is a numerical expression of how difficult it is to guess a password, taking into account its length, complexity, etc. Generally, rules are set such as using a combination of different types of characters (numbers, symbols, uppercase letters, lowercase letters) and keeping the length of the characters to a certain level (8 characters or more). Another method involves storing a dictionary of easily guessed characters from commonly used keywords (password, admin), people's names, English words, and keyboard layouts (qwerty), and determining that a password is not secure if it matches any of these when entered.

[0028] In this proposal, password strength is calculated using the methods described above and / or publicly available technologies to quantify password strength. Password strength is calculated using the password strength calculation unit 306 of the user authentication service 303. An integer value on a scale of 1 to 5 is returned based on the strength calculation result, but there are no limitations on the evaluation method. The integer value determined by the password strength calculation result is displayed as a password strength meter, which visualizes the password strength on the screen. The password strength meter is displayed when a new password is registered or edited when registering a user on the MFP 101. It is not displayed on the screen where the password is verified during login.

[0029] <User information> The user information managed by the user authentication service 303 will be described below. The user authentication service 303 stores and manages user information in a user information table such as that shown in Table 1. The user information table is a database recorded on the HDD 204. Note that a database on another node on the network may be used after encrypting and tampering-proofing the communication path and storage. The user information table records the card ID, password, user role, email address, and other information used for IC card authentication. The setting for changing the password at next login is a value that can be set when creating a user or editing user information, and if this setting is enabled, the user will be required to change their password the next time they log in.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] A role is information that indicates a user's usage rights for the MFP 101. Examples of each role and usage rights are shown in the role information table (Table 2) below. In addition to the role definitions that the MFP 101 has when it is shipped from the factory, users may be able to set detailed usage rights and create new roles. Note that a setting change in Table 2 refers to the act of changing values ​​set in the MFP 101, such as user authentication settings and user management, which will be described later. Note that it may also be possible to change a wide variety of settings, such as the network settings and print function settings of the MFP 101. Administrator is a role assigned to an administrator user, and GeneralUser and / or LimitedUser are roles assigned to general users. Restrictions are set for the printing functions of the image forming device for each role. For example, general users may be restricted from using the color printing function.

[0032] [Table 2]

[0033] <User authentication settings> Next, the user authentication settings of the MFP 101 will be described. Fig. 4 shows an example of a UI (user interface) for the user authentication settings of the MFP 101 provided by the local UI 301. In addition to the local UI 301, a similar UI may be provided for the administrator on the remote UI 302. When the MFP 101 is started, the local UI 301 displays a menu screen 401 for selecting an application. The user authentication function that can be selected from the user authentication settings screen 402 is sometimes called a login function. The MFP 101 has two functions: a function for performing authentication by user input from the keyboard, and a function for performing authentication by input from an IC card owned by the user.

[0034] The user can display a user authentication setting screen 402 via a menu screen 401. On the user authentication setting screen 402, the user can select whether to enable or disable the user authentication function. Furthermore, if the user authentication function is selected to be enabled, the user can further select one or both of the login functions: keyboard authentication and IC card authentication. The user authentication setting screen 402 shows a state in which the user authentication function is enabled and all login functions have been selected.

[0035] The settings selected by the user are stored in the HDD 204, and the user authentication service 303 references them and activates the login function according to the user's settings. If both login functions (keyboard authentication and IC card authentication) are enabled, the local UI 301 displays an IC card authentication screen 404. Note that keyboard authentication can also be performed by selecting button 411, which transitions to the keyboard authentication screen 403.

[0036] If only keyboard authentication is valid, a keyboard authentication screen 403 is displayed, and if only IC card authentication is valid or if IC card authentication and keyboard authentication are valid, an IC card authentication screen 404 is displayed. If only IC card authentication is valid, button 411 on the IC card authentication screen 404 is not displayed.

[0037] When the user authentication service 303 detects an IC card, it references the account information stored in the HDD 204 and allows a user with a matching card ID to log in to the MFP 101. The user authentication service 303 compares the user name and password entered on the keyboard authentication screen 403 with the account information stored in the HDD 204, and allows the matching user to log in to the MFP 101.

[0038] The user authentication service 303 stores information about the logged-in user in an object called a login context and transmits it to other software modules. An example of the information stored in the login context is shown in Table 3 below. The login context stores the user name, role, email address, etc. of the logged-in user, as shown in Table 3. Other software modules will grant permission to use software functions based on the login context.

[0039] [Table 3]

[0040] If login to the MFP 101 is successful, the local UI 301 closes the login screen such as 403 and transitions the screen to the menu screen 401. The menu screen 401 references the login context, identifies the logged-in user, and then provides a menu screen for the logged-in user. The menu screen and screens for various functions (copying and scanning) provide a function that can be personalized according to the user's preferences.

[0041] The login screen display setting 415 screen allows you to set the timing for displaying the login screen. If you select to display it when the operation starts, the authentication screen will be displayed before the menu screen 401 is displayed after the MFP 101 is started. If you select to display it when the function starts, you can request authentication when using each function such as copy, print, or scan. When the MFP 101 is started, the menu screen 401 will be displayed, and if you select a function from the menu that has been set in advance to require authentication, the authentication screen will be displayed.

[0042] When the password strength meter setting is selected from the setting items via the menu screen 401, a password strength meter setting screen 421 is displayed. The password strength meter display setting 422 is a setting for whether or not to display the password strength meter. If the setting is enabled, the password strength meter is displayed when a password is entered. If the setting is disabled, the password strength meter is not displayed.

[0043] The required strength level 423 is a setting that prohibits password setting if the password strength calculation unit 306 calculates the entered password and the result does not satisfy the value set in the required strength level 423. The strength calculation result is handled as an integer value of 5 levels from 1 to 5. For example, if the required strength level is set to 3, the input of values ​​whose strength calculation result is strength 1 or 2 is prohibited. If the strength level is set to 1, the strength calculation result is allowed even if it is strength level 1, so in this case no restrictions are imposed on the strength. In this embodiment, the explanation will be given assuming that the password strength meter display setting 422 is enabled and the required strength level 423 is set to the initial value of 3.

[0044] When the setting of the minimum password character length is selected from the setting items via the menu screen 401, a minimum password character length setting screen 431 is displayed. The minimum password character length setting screen 431 is a setting that defines the minimum number of characters required when setting a password. The minimum password character length setting 432 is a setting that can be enabled or disabled. The minimum character length 433 can be set to an integer value between 1 and 32. The number of characters that can be set may be expanded depending on the system configuration. In this embodiment, the explanation will be given assuming that the minimum password character length setting 432 is ON and the minimum character length 433 is set to the initial value of 8.

[0045] <User Management> 5 shows an example of a UI provided by the local UI 301 for managing user accounts of the MFP 101. In addition to the local UI 301, a similar UI may also be provided for the administrator by the remote UI 302.

[0046] Reference numeral 501 denotes a user management screen for managing a list of user accounts. Only administrators with the Administrator role can access this screen. The user management screen 501 provides functions for registering new user accounts and selecting registered accounts to edit or delete them.

[0047] For example, when registering a user, if the user "Admin" presses the registration button on the user management screen 501, the local UI 301 displays a user registration screen 502. On the user registration screen 502, a user name, password, card ID, email address, role, etc. can be registered and saved.

[0048] When editing a user, if the user "Admin" selects the "Alice" account and presses the edit button, the local UI 301 displays a user edit screen 503. On the user edit screen 503, the password, card ID, email address, role, etc. can be edited and saved.

[0049] <User registration and editing flow> Next, a process in which the user authentication service 303 displays a password strength meter on the local UI 301 will be described. In this embodiment, the procedure shown in the flow chart below is recorded in the software programs of the local UI 301 and the user authentication service 303. The software program is stored in non-volatile storage such as the ROM 202 or HDD 204, and is loaded into the RAM 203, and the flow shown in the flowchart is executed by the CPU 201. Furthermore, the software such as the local UI 301 and the user authentication service 303 mutually provide APIs and operate in harmony by mutually using the APIs. In the description of the operation flow, the calling of the APIs will be omitted.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operational flow for determining whether or not to display the password strength meter when setting a password on the local UI 301.

[0051] When the password button is pressed on the user registration screen 502 or the user edit screen 503, the user authentication service 303 receives a password change request (S601). The user authentication service 303 checks whether the password strength meter display setting 422 is enabled (S602). If the password strength meter display setting 422 is enabled, the user authentication service 303 sends a display request for the software keyboard 711 with a password strength meter to the local UI 301 (S603). If the password strength meter display setting 422 is disabled, the user authentication service 303 sends a display request for the software keyboard 701 without a password strength meter to the local UI 301 (S604). If the password strength meter display setting 422 is disabled, the process is the same as the conventional password setting process, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted in this embodiment.

[0052] 7 is a diagram illustrating a software keyboard controlled by the local UI 301. A software keyboard 711 with a password strength meter has a meter 712 that indicates the strength of the password as it is entered, and a text area 713 that displays the password strength level and the details of any errors. If the entered password does not meet the settings, it can also be controlled so that the Next button 714 cannot be pressed.

[0053] The contents displayed on the strength meter when a password is entered will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operational flow of the password strength meter display process, and Figure 9 is a diagram showing the contents displayed on the password strength meter.

[0054] When the user authentication service 303 requests the local UI 301 to display the software keyboard 711 with the password strength meter in S603, the local UI 301 displays the software keyboard 711 with the password strength meter. At this time, the display content of the password strength meter is in its initial state. 901 shows the display content of the password strength meter in its initial state. In the initial state, the meter display 712 shows a state in which the meter content, such as the display color, remains unchanged, and no display is made in the text area 713.

[0055] When a password is entered by pressing a button on the software keyboard, the local UI 301 transmits the entered password to the user authentication service 303 to display a password strength meter.

[0056] When the user authentication service 303 receives a password from the local UI 301 (S801), it first checks whether the password minimum character length setting 432 is valid (S802).

[0057] If the setting for the minimum password length is valid, it is checked whether the length of the entered password is equal to or greater than the minimum password length setting of 433 (S803). If the setting is not met, the user authentication service 303 notifies the local UI 301 that the password is too short (S808). When the local UI 301 is notified that the password is too short, it displays an error message in the text field 713, as shown in 902, indicating that the password is too short. At that time, the meter display 712 remains in its initial state.

[0058] In this example, we first check whether the minimum password length setting is met, but password length is also one of the factors that determine password strength when calculating password strength. Some systems, such as embedded devices, have a minimum password length specified from the beginning, and a password strength meter mechanism is later introduced. In such cases, calculating password strength would be pointless if the password does not meet the previously specified minimum password length, so we first check whether the minimum password length setting is met. It is also possible to perform equivalent processing based on an internally specified value without having a setting item for the minimum password length, as proposed here.

[0059] If the setting for the minimum password length is invalid in S802 or if the setting for the minimum password length is met in S803, the user authentication service 303 calculates the password strength of the entered password in the password strength calculation unit 306 (S804). The user authentication service 303 checks whether the calculated strength meets the value of the required strength level 423 (S805). If it is determined that the required strength level is not met, the user authentication service 303 notifies the local UI 301 that the strength does not meet the required strength level (S806). When notified that the strength does not meet the required strength level, the local UI 301 displays a message as shown in 904. The meter display 712 displays the strength level of the entered password, but the error message and / or color is different from that displayed normally. The text area 713 displays a message indicating that the password is not strong enough. At this time, the Next button 714 is grayed out and cannot be pressed.

[0060] If the required strength level is met in S805, the user authentication service 303 notifies the local UI 301 that the required strength level is met (S807). When the local UI 301 is notified that the required strength level is met, it displays a message as shown in 903. The meter display 712 displays the strength level of the entered password, and the text area 713 displays a message indicating the strength level. At this time, the Next button 714 is no longer grayed out and can be pressed.

[0061] <Login flow> 10 is a flowchart showing the operation flow when changing a password when logging in. If the setting 511 for changing the password at next login on the user registration screen 502 and the user edit screen 503 is enabled, the user will be required to change their password the next time they log in.

[0062] If the login screen display setting 415 is set to when the operation starts, an authentication screen is displayed before the menu screen 401 is displayed. The authentication screen to be displayed is either the keyboard authentication screen 403 or the IC card authentication screen 404, depending on the setting of the user authentication setting screen 402. If the login screen display setting 415 is set to when a function is selected, the menu screen 401 is displayed without authentication, and the authentication screen is displayed when the button for each function, copy, print, or scan, is pressed. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the user authentication setting screen 402 is set to keyboard authentication and the login screen display setting 415 is set to when the copy function is started.

[0063] When the copy button is pressed on the menu screen 401, the local UI 301 notifies the user authentication service 303 of a request to display an authentication screen (S1001). When the user authentication service 303 receives the authentication screen display request, it displays the keyboard authentication screen 403 (S1002). When the user enters a username and password on the keyboard authentication screen 403 to perform login processing, the user authentication service 303 receives a login request (S1003). When the user authentication service 303 receives the login request, it checks whether the username and password are correct (S1004). If the username and password are incorrect, the processing ends.

[0064] If the user name and password are correct, the user authentication service 303 references the user information of the user in question listed in Table 1 and checks whether the setting to change the password at the next login is enabled (S1005). If the setting is not enabled, the user authentication service 303 performs login processing (S1009) and ends the processing. If the setting is enabled, the user authentication service 303 instructs the local UI 301 to display a screen 504 requesting a password change (S1006). The user authentication service 303 checks whether OK or Cancel has been pressed on the screen 504 requesting a password change (S1007). If Cancel has been pressed, the user authentication service 303 performs login processing (S1009) and ends the processing. In this embodiment, it is possible to cancel and log in, but it is also possible to configure so that logging in is not possible unless the password is changed.

[0065] When OK is pressed on the screen 504 requesting password change, the user authentication service 303 instructs the local UI 301 to display a password change screen 505 (S1008). When the password button on the password change screen 505 is pressed, the processing is the same as the processing S601 to S604 when the password button is pressed on the user registration screen 502 or user edit screen 503 described above, and therefore details are omitted here.

[0066] When the display setting 422 of the password strength meter is valid, the software keyboard 711 with the password strength meter is called. However, since the display process of the password strength meter is the same as that of S801 to S808, the details are omitted.

[0067] <Regarding the control of the password strength meter of RUI> Next, the process of the user authentication service 303 displaying the password strength meter on the remote UI 302 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation flow for determining whether to display the password strength meter on the user registration screen of the remote UI 302.

[0068] On the remote UI 302, a user management screen 501 similar to the local UI 301 is displayed. Since the user can register and edit in the same way as the local UI 301, the details are omitted. Also, since the user registration screen and the user editing screen are almost the same, the user registration process will be used as an example for explanation. Note that it is described that the user authentication service 303 displays an HTML screen, which means that the HTML for displaying the HTML screen is transmitted to an external device and displayed on the display unit of the external device. For both the local UI 301 and the remote UI 302, the method of providing the password strength meter is not limited to these.

[0069] When the user registration button is pressed on the user management screen 501 on the remote UI 302, the user authentication service 303 receives a user information editing request (S1101). The user authentication service 303 checks whether the display setting 422 of the password strength meter is valid (S1102). If the password strength meter display setting is valid, the user authentication service 303 displays an HTML screen with the password strength meter (S1103). If the password strength meter display setting is invalid, the user authentication service 303 displays an HTML screen without the password strength meter (S1104).

[0070] 12 is a diagram showing the user registration screen of the remote UI 302. If an HTML screen without a password strength meter is displayed in S1104, an HTML screen like 1201 is displayed. If an HTML screen with a password strength meter is displayed in S1103, an HTML screen like 1211 is displayed. The HTML screen 1211 with a password strength meter is similar to the software keyboard 711 with a password strength meter displayed on the local UI 301. It has a meter 1212 that indicates the strength of the password as the password is entered, and a text area 1213 that indicates the password strength level and the contents of any errors. In the initial state, the meter 1212 shows no change in the meter content, such as the display color, and no display in the text area 1213.

[0071] The process of displaying the password strength meter when a password is entered on the HTML screen 1211 with the password strength meter on the remote UI 302 is the same as steps S801 to S808, and therefore the details are omitted here.

[0072] Next, the process for changing a password when logging in from login screen 1221 of remote UI 302 will be described. It is assumed that the user logging in is a user for whom the setting 511 for changing password at next login is enabled. When a user enters a username and password on login screen 1221 and performs login processing, user authentication service 303 receives a login request (S1003). The subsequent processes of S1003 to S1009 are the same as those performed when logging in with local UI 301, so details will be omitted. In the case of remote UI 302, the password change screen displayed when a password change request is made in S1008 is screen 1231. Password change screen 1231 has a meter 1232 that indicates password strength according to the password entered, and a text area 1233 that indicates the password strength level and error content.

[0073] The password change screen on the remote UI 302 has the same process as steps S801 to S808 for displaying the password strength meter when a password is entered in step 1231, and so the details are omitted here.

[0074] As explained above, the MFP 101 described in this embodiment provides a configuration that allows the strength level to be set for the password required when registering a user on the MFP 101, and can provide a secure and convenient image forming apparatus that is suited to the installation environment.

[0075] [Other Examples] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program.The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0076] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 301 Local UI 302 Remote UI 303 User Authentication Service

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus for registering a password of a user who uses an image forming function and / or editing the password, a password strength calculation means for calculating the strength of the password input by the user; a requesting means for requesting the display of a screen including a password strength meter for indicating a strength level determined based on the calculated strength; a setting unit for setting a strength level of a password to be set in the image forming device, The image forming apparatus is characterized in that it compares a strength level determined based on the calculated strength with a set strength level, and changes the display content of the password strength meter according to the comparison result.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a request is made to a display unit of the image forming apparatus to display a screen of a software keyboard including the password strength meter.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a request is made to a display unit of an external device to display an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) screen including the password strength meter.

4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the password entered by the user is acquired via a screen displayed on the display unit or a screen displayed based on the HTML, and the password strength calculation means calculates the strength of the acquired password.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the request means requests the display of a screen including the password strength meter, which indicates that the displayed content is normal, if the result of comparing the strength level determined based on the calculated strength with the set strength level shows that the required strength level is met.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the request means requests the display of a screen including the password strength meter indicating that the displayed content is abnormal if the strength level determined based on the calculated strength is not met as a result of comparing the strength level determined based on the calculated strength with the set strength level.

7. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the password strength meter indicates that the displayed content is not normal by displaying an error and / or by using a different color.

8. An image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when a password is changed when logging in to the image forming apparatus, a screen including the password strength meter is displayed before a menu screen for selecting an image forming function is displayed.

9. 1. A control method for an image forming apparatus for registering a password of a user who uses an image forming function and / or editing the password, comprising: a password strength calculation step of calculating the strength of the password input by the user; a requesting step of requesting the display of a screen including a password strength meter for indicating a strength level determined based on the calculated strength; a setting step of setting a strength level of a password to be set in the image forming device, A control method characterized by comparing a strength level determined based on the calculated strength with a set strength level, and changing the display content of the password strength meter according to the comparison result.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 9.

Images