December 23, 2015

Images and codes provide alternative to multiple device passwords systems



(December 23, 2015)  A system using images and a one-time numerical code could provide a secure and easy to use alternative to multi-factor methods dependent on hardware or software and one-time passwords, a study by Plymouth University suggests.

Researchers from the Centre for Security Communication and Network Research (CSCAN) believe their new multi-level authentication system GOTPass could be effective in protecting personal online information from hackers.

It could also be easier for users to remember, and be less expensive for providers to implement since it would not require the deployment of potentially costly hardware systems.

Writing in Information Security Journal: A Global Perspective, researchers say the system would be applicable for online banking and other such services, where users with several accounts would struggle to carry around multiple devices, to gain access.

They also publish the results of a series of security tests, demonstrating that out of 690 hacking attempts – using a range of guesswork and more targeted methods – there were just 23 successful break-ins.

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