Guidelines for Recognition Based Graphical Password Schemes

• Published in: International journal of computer science and information security 2016-09, Vol.14 (9), p.421
• Main Authors: Nizamani, Shah Zaman, Hassan, Syed Raheel, Naz, Rafia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Passwords; Usability
• ISSN: 1947-5500

Text based authentication scheme is widely used since long time. Security issues increases when a user set short and easy to remember password. Whereas the passwords consist of alphanumeric characters are difficult to remember. In order to overcome the security and memorability issues of text based password scheme, graphical password technique was introduced. In graphical password technique, combination of pictures or drawings are used as a password. However graphical password schemes require significant amount of time for password entry, hence usability is another concern attached with such schemes. Graphical password scheme can be judged by three aspects or parameters that are security, memorability and usability. If a scheme is weak in any one of these parameters, then it will not be accepted by the users and security experts. In general graphical password schemes can be categorised as recognition based schemes, cued recall-based schemes, pure-recall based and hybrid schemes. In this research paper, guidelines are proposed for improving the overall performance of recognition based schemes. The guidelines are separately described against security, memorability and usability aspects. The proposed guidelines are also helpful in analyzing any recognition based schemes with respect to the three parameters.