User authentication

• US 9,147,056 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Limberg, Jared A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zee, Edward
• Application Number:
  US14/150,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating a user is provided. The method includes receiving keyboard entries from a user while a cursor of a computer screen is positioned in a password field of the user. The keyboard entries include a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a password of the user and one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field. The key board entries are logged. The logged keyboard entries checked to determine whether they match a stored valid password for the user such that the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters are considered part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user, the method comprising the steps of:

while a password field of a computer screen is active to receive keyboard entries from a user, receiving keyboard entries from the user of (a) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a password of the user and (b) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field;

logging the key board entries of (a) and (b) made during entry of the password of the user into the password field;

receiving a user entry to submit the password entered into the password field for authentication, and in response, determining, by one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (a) and (b) match a stored, valid password for the user, such that the one or more processors consider the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the users;

while the cursor of the computer screen is positioned in a username field of a user, receiving keyboard entries from the user of (c) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a username of the user and (d) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field;

logging the key board entries of (c) and (d) made during entry of the username of the user into the username field; and

receiving a user entry to submit the username entered into the username field; and

subsequently, determining, by one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (c) and (d) match a stored, valid username for the user, such that the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field are considered part of the submitted username which is compared to the stored valid username for the authentication of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more function keys that do not affect the alphanumeric characters comprise a first function key that is pressed and released between entries of the alphanumeric characters such that the first function key is not entered into the password field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from a single keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the single keyboard comprises a virtual keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from multiple differing keyboards.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the cursor of the computer screen is positioned in the password field of the user, receiving, from an input device, input entries from the user of (c) one or more functions that either deletes one or more of the alphanumeric characters or does not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field;

logging the input entry of (c) made during entry of the password of the user into the password field; and

subsequently, determining, by the one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (a), (b), and (c) match the stored, valid password for the user, such that the one or more functions that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or does not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field are considered part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touchscreen device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprises a function selected from the group consisting of a backspace function, a shift function, a touchscreen function, and a mouse click action.

9. A computer program product for authenticating a user, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

while a password field of a computer screen is active to receive keyboard entries from a user, program instructions to receive keyboard entries from the user of (a) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a password of the user and (b) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field;

program instructions to log the key board entries of (a) and (b) made during entry of the password of the user into the password field;

program instructions to receive the user entry to submit the password entered into the password field for authentication;

program instructions to, determine by one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (a) and (b) match a stored, valid password for the user, such that the one or more processors consider the one or more function keys that delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters as part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user;

while the cursor of the computer screen is positioned in a username field of a user, program instructions to receive keyboard entries from the user of (c) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a username of the user and (d) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field;

program instructions to log the key board entries of (c) and (d) made during entry of the username of the user into the username field;

program instructions to receive a user entry to submit the username entered into the username field; and

program instructions to subsequently determine, by one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (c) and (d) match a stored, valid username for the user, such that the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field are considered part of the submitted username which is compared to the stored valid username for the authentication of the user.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from a single keyboard.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the single keyboard comprises a virtual keyboard.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from multiple differing keyboards.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

while the cursor of the computer screen is positioned in the password field of the user, program instructions to receive, from an input device, input entries from the user of (c) one or more functions that either deletes one or more of the alphanumeric characters or does not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field;

program instructions to log the input entry of (c) made during entry of the password of the user into the password field; and

program instructions to subsequently determine, by the one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (a), (b), and (c) match the stored, valid password for the user, such that the one or more functions that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or does not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field are considered part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user.

14. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor implements a method for authenticating a user, said method comprising:

while a password field of a computer screen is active to receive keyboard entries from a user, receiving keyboard entries from the user of (a) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a password of the user and (b) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the password field;

logging the key board entries of (a) and (b) made during entry of the password of the user into the password field;

receiving the user entry to submit the password entered into the password field for authentication;

determining whether the logged keyboard entries of (a) and (b) match a stored, valid password for the user, such that the one or more processors consider the one or more function keys that delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters as part of the submitted password which is compared to the stored valid password for authentication of the user;

while the cursor of the computer screen is positioned in a username field of a user, receiving keyboard entries from the user of (c) a series of alphanumeric characters forming part of a username of the user and (d) one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field;

logging the key board entries of (c) and (d) made during entry of the username of the user into the username field; and

receiving a user entry to submit the username entered into the username field; and

subsequently, determining, by one or more processors, whether the logged keyboard entries of (c) and (d) match a stored, valid username for the user, such that the one or more function keys that either delete one or more of the alphanumeric characters or do not affect the alphanumeric characters as entered into the username field are considered part of the submitted username which is compared to the stored valid username for the authentication of the user.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the one or more function keys that do not affect the alphanumeric characters comprise a first function key that is pressed and released between entries of the alphanumeric characters such that the first function key is not entered into the password field.

16. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from a single keyboard.

17. The computing system product of claim 14, wherein the single keyboard comprises a virtual keyboard.

18. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from multiple differing keyboards.

19. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the keyboard entries from the user are received from a device selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touchscreen device.