Password Policy Compliance via Pre-generated Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face frustration when creating passwords that conform to varying and often unknown software-specific password policies, requiring multiple attempts to meet the policy requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that receive a user's password, manipulate it to conform to password policy requirements by appending, pre-pending, inserting, or substituting characters, and present a list of compliant passwords with strength ratings and cracking times for selection, allowing users to easily choose a secure password.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users manually create passwords to meet policy requirements, then password security can be improved, but user time and effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating multiple compliant password options that already meet the password policy requirements. Instead of requiring users to manually create and validate passwords through multiple attempts, the system prepares valid password candidates in advance, allowing users to simply select from the pre-generated options. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating the time-consuming trial-and-error process while maintaining security through policy-compliant passwords.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service by automatically generating and presenting compliant password options without requiring user expertise in password policy requirements. The system independently handles the complex task of creating secure, policy-compliant passwords and presents them ready-for-use to the user, who only needs to make a simple selection. This approach improves security through algorithmic password generation while minimizing user time investment.
2Reliability
If software programs enforce different password policies, then security requirements can be met, but user confusion and frustration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements universality by creating a multi-functional password generation tool that can adapt to multiple different password policies. The system is designed to handle various policy requirements (different length constraints, character type requirements, complexity rules) through a single unified interface. Users interact with the same simple selection process regardless of which specific password policy applies, while the system internally adjusts to generate compliant passwords for the relevant policy. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining security compliance across different policies while providing a consistent, easy-to-use experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the user and the password policy requirements. Instead of requiring users to directly understand and satisfy complex policy rules, the system mediates by translating policy requirements into pre-generated password options. The user simply selects from presented options without needing to know or remember policy details, while the system ensures compliance with the applicable password policy. This intermediary role eliminates user confusion while maintaining security requirements.
3Reliability
If users try various password permutations to meet policy requirements, then valid passwords can be found, but the process becomes tedious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-generating multiple valid password permutations that satisfy policy requirements before presenting them to the user. Instead of requiring users to manually try various permutations, the system has already computed and validated multiple compliant options in advance. Users simply review and select from this pre-prepared list, transforming an inefficient manual permutation process into a rapid selection task. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining policy compliance while dramatically improving creation efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, program product, and method are disclosed for receiving a password entered by a user, the password not conforming to one or more requirements of a password policy, manipulating the password to create one or more compliant passwords conforming to the one or more requirements of the password policy, and presenting a list of the one or more compliant passwords to the user wherein a compliant password is selectable by the user.