Enhancing password protection

• US 8,863,260 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chougule, Vishal V., Jain, Priyanka P., Chougle, Abdullah A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US13/490,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20130333007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5, 726/7, 726/26, 726/27, 713/172, 713/168, 713/194
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for enhancing password protection. A combination password that comprises dynamic text interspersed within a static user password is received from a user. A determination is made as to whether the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text. Responsive to identifying that the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text, the dynamic text is filtered from the combination password based on an identified dynamic suggestion issued to the user prior to the combination password being received thereby forming a filtered password. The filtered password is then authenticated using information stored for the user. Responsive to validating the filtered password, access is granted by the user to a secured system.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive a combination password from a user, the combination password comprising dynamic text interspersed within a static user password, the combination password generated by presenting a dynamic suggestion to the user, the dynamic suggestion to the user instructing the user to enter a first text value at a first identified location from a grid card either after or before a first identified character position of the static user password, and the first text value identified by a first column indicator and a first row indicator;

determine whether the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text;

responsive to identifying that the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text, filter the dynamic text from the combination password based on the dynamic suggestion issued to the user prior to the combination password being received thereby forming a filtered password;

authenticate the filtered password using information stored for the user; and

responsive to validating the filtered password, grant access by the user to a secured system.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein filtering the dynamic text from the combination password based on an identified dynamic suggestion issued to the user prior to the combination password being received further forms filtered dynamic text and wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

compare the filtered dynamic text against an identified dynamic suggestion issued to the user.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

responsive to identifying that the combination password is to be verified with the dynamic text, construct a comparison password utilizing the stored password and the identified dynamic suggestion;

compare the comparison password to the combination password received from the user;

determine whether the comparison password matches the combination password; and

responsive to identifying a match of the comparison password to the combination password, grant access by the user to the secured system.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive a user id of the user attempting to access the secured system;

verify that the user is a valid user id by comparing the user id to a data structure of valid user ids;

responsive to the user being a valid user, identify a current risk level of the secured system in a current time period;

responsive to the current risk level being greater than a lowest risk level, identify the dynamic suggestion from a data structure of dynamic suggestions to use for the current risk level; and

send the identified dynamic suggestion to the user in order for the user to generate the combination password.

5. The computer program product of claim 1,

wherein the dynamic suggestion further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent text value at a subsequent identified location from the grid card either after or before at least one subsequent identified character position of the static user password and wherein the at least one subsequent text value is identified by an associated subsequent column indicator and a subsequent row indicator.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the combination password is generated by the computer readable program further causing the computing device to:

present a set of instructions associated with the dynamic suggestion to the user, wherein the set of instructions instructs the user to enter a first portion of the static user password followed by a first value identified in a first CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user and wherein the set of instructions further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent portion of the static user password followed by at least one subsequent text value identified in a subsequent CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the combination password is generated by the computer readable program further causing the computing device to:

present a set of instructions associated with the dynamic suggestion to the user, wherein the set of instructions instructs the user to enter a first portion of the static user password followed by a first text value at a first identified location identified in a first CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user from the grid card, wherein the first text value is identified by a first column indicator and a first row indicator, wherein the set of instructions further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent portion of the static user password followed by at least one subsequent text value at a subsequent identified location identified in a subsequent CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user from the grid card, and wherein the at least one subsequent text value is identified by an associated subsequent column indicator and a subsequent row indicator.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a combination password from a user, the combination password comprising dynamic text interspersed within a static user password, the combination password generated by presenting a dynamic suggestion to the user, the dynamic suggestion instructing the user to enter a first text value at a first identified location from a grid card either after or before a first identified character position of the static user password, and the first text value identified by a first column indicator and a first row indicator;

determine whether the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text;

responsive to identifying that the combination password is to be verified without the dynamic text, filter the dynamic text from the combination password based on the dynamic suggestion issued to the user prior to the combination password being received thereby forming a filtered password;

authenticate the filtered password using information stored for the user; and

responsive to validating the filtered password, grant access by the user to a secured system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein filtering the dynamic text from the combination password based on an identified dynamic suggestion issued to the user prior to the combination password being received further forms filtered dynamic text and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

compare the filtered dynamic text against an identified dynamic suggestion issued to the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

responsive to identifying that the combination password is to be verified with the dynamic text, construct a comparison password utilizing the stored password and the identified dynamic suggestion;

compare the comparison password to the combination password received from the user;

determine whether the comparison password matches the combination password; and

responsive to identifying a match of the comparison password to the combination password, grant access by the user to the secured system.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions further causes the processor to:

receive a user id of the user attempting to access the secured system;

verify that the user is a valid user id by comparing the user id to a data structure of valid user ids;

responsive to the user being a valid user, identify a current risk level of the secured system in a current time period;

responsive to the current risk level being greater than a lowest risk level, identify the dynamic suggestion from a data structure of dynamic suggestions to use for the current risk level; and

send the identified dynamic suggestion to the user in order for the user to generate the combination password.

12. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the dynamic suggestion further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent text value at a subsequent identified location from the grid card either after or before at least one subsequent identified character position of the static user password and wherein the at least one subsequent text value is identified by an associated subsequent column indicator and a subsequent row indicator.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the combination password is generated by the instructions further causing the processor to:

present a set of instructions associated with the dynamic suggestion to the user, wherein the set of instructions instructs the user to enter a first portion of the static user password followed by a first value identified in a first CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user and wherein the set of instructions further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent portion of the static user password followed by at least one subsequent text value identified in a subsequent CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the combination password is generated by the instructions further causing the processor to:

present a set of instructions associated with the dynamic suggestion to the user, wherein the set of instructions instructs the user to enter a first portion of the static user password followed by a first text value at a first identified location identified in a first CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user from the grid card, wherein the first text value is identified by a first column indicator and a first row indicator, wherein the set of instructions further instructs the user to enter at least one subsequent portion of the static user password followed by at least one subsequent text value at a subsequent identified location identified in a subsequent CAPTCHA pop-up presented to the user from the grid card, and wherein the at least one subsequent text value is identified by an associated subsequent column indicator and a subsequent row indicator.