A comprehensive study of the usability of multiple graphical passwords

Soumyadeb Chowdhury, Ron Poet, Lewis Mackenzie

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference outputConference publication

Abstract

Recognition-based graphical authentication systems (RBGSs) using images as passwords have been proposed as one potential solution to the need for more usable authentication. The rapid increase in the technologies requiring user authentication has increased the number of passwords that users have to remember. But nearly all prior work with RBGSs has studied the usability of a single password. In this paper, we present the first published comparison of the usability of multiple graphical passwords with four different image types: Mikon, doodle, art and everyday objects (food, buildings, sports etc.). A longitudinal experiment was performed with 100 participants over a period of 8 weeks, to examine the usability performance of each of the image types. The results of the study demonstrate that object images are most usable in the sense of being more memorable and less time-consuming to employ, Mikon images are close behind but doodle and art images are significantly inferior. The results of our study complement cognitive literature on the picture superiority effect, visual search process and nameability of visually complex images.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHuman-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2013
Subtitle of host publication14th IFIP TC 13 International Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, September 2-6, 2013, Proceedings, Part III
EditorsPaula Kotzé, Gary Marsden, et al
PublisherSpringer
Pages424-441
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-642-40477-1
ISBN (Print)978-3-642-40476-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013
Event4th IFIP TC 13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction - Cape Town, South Africa
Duration: 2 Sept 20136 Sept 2013

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science
PublisherSpringer
Volume8119
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference4th IFIP TC 13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Abbreviated titleINTERACT 2013
Country/TerritorySouth Africa
CityCape Town
Period2/09/136/09/13

Keywords

  • usability
  • user authentication
  • multiple image passwords

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