Virtual Keyboard Target Obfuscation Against Visual Observation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password authentication systems are vulnerable to security breaches when passwords are entered in public spaces, as observers can potentially see the input, leading to compromised security and the need for frequent password resets.
Innovation Solution
A system that obfuscates user input by concurrently displaying multiple targets, including a current user target and distractor targets, using haptic, audio, and visual signals to confuse observers while ensuring the user can reliably select options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple targets are concurrently displayed to obfuscate user input, then security against observation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into multiple target elements (first target, second target, third target, fourth target, fifth target) that can be independently controlled and displayed. This segmentation allows the system to present multiple possible input locations simultaneously, making it difficult for observers to determine which target the user will select, thereby improving security against observation while maintaining manageable interface complexity through modular target management
Solution Approach 2:
A discriminatory signal acts as an intermediary between the system and the user, providing tactile or auditory feedback that identifies the current user target without revealing information to observers. This intermediary mechanism allows the user to reliably identify their target through non-visual cues (haptic signals, audio signals, or modified images) while the visual display continues to show multiple targets, thus improving security without overly complicating the interface
2Object-affected harmful factors
If distractor targets are displayed to confuse observers, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The discriminatory signal serves as an intermediary that provides the user with reliable target identification through alternative senses (touch or hearing) without affecting the visual display. The user can feel or hear which target is currently active through haptic feedback, audio cues, or modified image properties, making it easy to identify the correct target despite the presence of multiple visually identical distractor targets on the screen
Solution Approach 2:
The discriminatory signal applies a unique local quality (tactile or auditory property) to the current user target that distinguishes it from other targets. This local differentiation allows the user to easily identify their target through non-visual senses, while observers viewing only the visual display cannot determine which target is active, thus improving security while maintaining ease of operation
3Measurement precision
If visual indications are moved to reflect target changes, then user navigation accuracy is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases for observers
Solution Approach 1:
The discriminatory signal acts as an intermediary that provides the user with accurate feedback about which target is currently active through non-visual means. When the current user target changes from one visual indication to another, the discriminatory signal (haptic, audio, or modified image) updates accordingly, ensuring the user maintains precise knowledge of their target selection while observers cannot track the changes by watching the visual display alone
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds another dimension of information (tactile or auditory) to the visual display to convey target identification. Instead of relying solely on visual position, the user receives feedback in a different dimension through haptic signals, audio cues, or modified image properties, making it difficult for observers to track input by monitoring only the visual dimension while the user can accurately identify their target through multi-sensory feedback
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances security by making it difficult for observers to discern user inputs, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized access and the need for frequent password resets.
Implementation Method 1
a discriminatory signal including one of a haptic signal generated by a device in physical contact with the user
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
Techniques for obfuscating user selections during user-input sessions in which potentially sensitive information is being identified, involving displaying several targets, such as keys of a virtual keyboard, on a display device, where each target corresponds to one of multiple options. While a current user target is associated with a visual indicator at a first time, a discriminatory signal indicating the visual indication displayed at the first time is for the current user target is provided, where the discriminatory signal includes one of a haptic signal generated by a device in physical contact with the user, an audio signal, and a modified image. Concurrently, the obfuscation system is configured to present another visual indication corresponding to a current distractor target. The current user target is thus obfuscated as two different visual indicators are presented and move through the group of options.