Mobile Device Password Obfuscation via Dynamic Decoy Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pattern passwords on mobile devices are vulnerable to unauthorized access as an onlooker can determine the pattern by observing the user's finger movement, even when the pattern is not visually displayed.
Innovation Solution
Displaying a decoy pattern on the screen that is dynamically created based on the user's touch inputs, distracting the onlooker and making it difficult to determine the correct pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pattern password is not visually displayed during user input, then security is improved slightly, but onlookers can still determine the pattern by observing finger movement
Solution Approach 1:
A decoy pattern is introduced as an intermediary visual element that mediates between the user's actual finger movements and the onlooker's observation. The decoy pattern appears to follow the user's finger but actually displays a different, incorrect pattern, thereby protecting the real password from being observed while maintaining the illusion of visual feedback
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy (decoy pattern) of the user's finger movement that appears authentic but contains incorrect information. This copy is displayed instead of the actual pattern, allowing the system to maintain the appearance of visual feedback while preventing the true password from being revealed to onlookers
2Reliability
If a decoy pattern is displayed during user input, then security against onlookers is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The decoy pattern generation functionality is merged with the existing pattern recognition system. The same touchscreen input detection mechanism serves both to capture the user's actual pattern and to generate the decoy pattern, eliminating the need for separate hardware or complex additional systems
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented a method for authenticating a user includes: displaying, by a computer device, a first user interface on a display; receiving, by the computer device, user input defining a first pattern; displaying, by the computer device, a second pattern on the display, wherein the second pattern is different than the first pattern; comparing, by the computer device, the first pattern to a predefined pattern; and based on the comparing, the computer device performing one of: re-displaying the first user interface when the first pattern does not match the predefined pattern; and displaying a second user interface when the first pattern does match the predefined pattern.