AUTHENTICATION DEVICE, AUTHENTICATION METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20140068757A1
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: KOMATSU, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,213,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

An authentication device includes an authentication unit configured to determine whether an input password input to a input unit matches a registered password registered in advance in a storage unit, count the number of times it is determined that the input password does not match the registered password, and stops authentication using a password if the number of times a mismatch is determined reaches a specified number, and a management unit configured to create an input error list supporting each of characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, on the basis of a history of errors of input to the input unit, and configured to cancel counting in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error included in the input error list.

Claims

1. An authentication device comprising:

an input unit configured to accept input;

an authentication unit configured to determine whether an input password input to the input unit matches a registered password registered in advance in a storage unit, count the number of times it is determined that the input password does not match the registered password, and stops authentication using a password if the number of times a mismatch is determined reaches a specified number; and

a management unit configured to create an input error list supporting each of characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, on the basis of a history of errors of input to the input unit, and cause the list to be stored in the storage unit, and configured to cancel counting in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error included in the input error list.

2. The authentication device according to claim 1,

wherein the input error list is a list ranked on the basis of the number of occurrences of an input error for each of the characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, and

wherein, in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error the number of occurrences of which is ranked high in the input error list, the management unit cancels counting.

3. The authentication device according to claim 1,

wherein when a given correction operation has been made to the input unit before an operation of determining the input password is made, the management unit causes an input error corrected by the given correction operation to be reflected in the input error list.

4. The authentication device according to claim 1,

further comprising an information providing unit configured to provide information to the outside,

wherein the management unit provides information by using the information providing unit so that a string of characters or digits including characters or digits included in the registered password is input to the input unit, and creates the input error list based on an input error for a character or a digit corresponding to the registered password in a string of characters or digits input to the input unit.

5. An authentication method performed by an authentication device including an input unit for accepting input, the method comprising:

determining whether an input password input to the input unit matches a registered password registered in advance in a storage unit;

counting the number of times it is determined that the input password does not match the registered password;

stopping authentication using a password if the number of times a mismatch is determined reaches a specified number;

creating an input error list supporting each of characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, on the basis of a history of errors of input to the input unit, and causing the list to be stored in the storage unit; and

cancelling counting in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error included in the input error list.

6. The authentication method according to claim 5,

wherein the input error list is a list ranked on the basis of the number of occurrences of an input error for each of the characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, and

wherein the authentication device cancels counting in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error the number of occurrences of which is ranked high in the input error list.

7. The authentication method according to claim 5,

wherein when a given correction operation has been made to the input unit before an operation of determining the input password is made, the authentication device causes an input error corrected by the given correction operation to be reflected in the input error list.

8. The authentication method according to claim 5,

the authentication device provides information by using an information providing unit so that a string of characters or digits including characters or digits included in the registered password is input to the input unit, and creates the input error list based on an input error for a character or a digit corresponding to the registered password in a string of characters or digits input to the input unit.

9. A computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer of an authentication device to execute a process, the process comprising:

determining whether an input password input to the input unit matches a registered password registered in advance in a storage unit;

counting the number of times it is determined that the input password does not match the registered password;

stopping authentication using a password if the number of times a mismatch is determined reaches a specified number;

creating an input error list supporting each of characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, on the basis of a history of errors of input to the input unit, and causing the list to be stored in the storage unit; and

cancelling counting in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error included in the input error list.

10. The recording medium according to claim 9,

wherein the input error list is a list ranked on the basis of the number of occurrences of an input error for each of the characters, digits, or other elements included in the registered password, and

wherein, in a case where it is determined by the authentication unit that the input password does not match the registered password and a cause of the mismatch lies in an input error the number of occurrences of which is ranked high in the input error list, the computer of the authentication device causes counting to be cancelled.

11. The recording medium according to claim 9,

wherein when a given correction operation has been made to the input unit before an operation of determining the input password is made, the computer of the authentication device causes an input error corrected by the given correction operation to be reflected in the input error list.

12. The recording medium according to claim 9,

the computer of the authentication device provides information by using an information providing unit so that a string of characters or digits including characters or digits included in the registered password is input to the input unit, and creates the input error list based on an input error for a character or a digit corresponding to the registered password in a string of characters or digits input to the input unit.