Evaluating text-based access strings

• US 8,392,986 B1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gossweiler, Richard Carl III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US12/486,714
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 726/19
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures

Abstract

A computer-implemented method may include presenting to multiple users a test text string each time an access text string is presented to the users, receiving input related to the test text string from the users and using by an evaluation processor the input related to the test text string to validate the test text string as a candidate to use as a future access text string.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting to a user a first text string and a second text string, wherein the first text string is designated as an access string for use in providing access to a computing service and the second text string is designated as a test string for use only in evaluating the second text string as a future candidate to use for providing access;

receiving a first input and a second input by the user;

comparing by an access processor the first input to the first text string;

providing access to the computing service based on the comparison by the access processor of the first input to the first text string; and

using by an evaluation processor the second input as part of validating the second text string as a future candidate to use for providing access.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein using by the evaluation processor the second input comprises:

collecting the second input and other inputs from multiple other users related to the second text string; and

performing a statistical analysis by the evaluation processor on the second input and the other inputs related to the second text string to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein performing the statistical analysis comprises determining a variance by the evaluation processor.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first text string and the second text string are each automatically generated and distorted text strings.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprises presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string side-by-side.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprises temporally presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprises presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string by randomly varying a position in which the first text string and the second text string are presented.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

denying access to the computing service by the access processor when the first input does not match the first text string; and

not using the second input to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

denying access to the computing service by the access processor when the first input does not match the first text string; and

using the second input to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

10. A non-transitory recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

presenting to a user a first text string and a second text string, wherein the first text string is designated as an access string for use in providing access to a computing service and the second text string is designated as a test string for use only in evaluating the second text string as a future candidate to use for providing access;

receiving a first input and a second input by the user;

comparing the first input to the first text string;

providing access to the computing service based on the comparison of the first input to the first text string; and

using the second input as part of validating the second text string as a future candidate to use for providing access.

11. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 wherein instructions that, when executed, perform the action of using the second input comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

collecting the second input and other inputs from multiple other users related to the second text string; and

performing a statistical analysis on the second input and the other inputs related to the second text string to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

12. The recordable storage medium of claim 11 wherein instructions that, when executed, perform the action of performing the statistical analysis comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of determining a variance.

13. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the first text string and the second text string are each randomly generated and distorted text strings.

14. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 wherein instructions that, when executed, perform the action of presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string side-by-side.

15. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 wherein instructions that, when executed, perform the action of presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of temporally presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string.

16. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 wherein instructions that, when executed, perform the action of presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of presenting to the user the first text string and the second text string by randomly varying a position in which the first text string and the second text string are presented.

17. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

denying access to the computing service when the first input does not match the first text string; and

not using the second input to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

18. The recordable storage medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

denying access to the computing service when the first input does not match the first text string; and

using the second input to validate the second text string as a candidate to use for providing access.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting to multiple users a test text string each time an access text string is presented to the users, wherein the access text string is for use in providing access to a computing service and the test text string is for use only in evaluating the test text string as a future access text string;

receiving input related to the test text string from the users; and

using by an evaluation processor the input related to the test text string to validate the test text string as a candidate to use as a future access text string.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:

receiving input related to the access text string from the users;

comparing by an access processor the input related to the access text string; and

providing access to a computing service by the access processor when the input related to the access text string matches the access text string.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 wherein using by the evaluation processor the input related to the test text string comprises performing a statistical analysis on the input related to the test string by the evaluation processor to validate the test text string as a candidate to use as a future access string.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising using by the evaluation processor the input related to the test text string to validate a distortion algorithm used to generate the test text string.

23. A non-transitory recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

presenting to multiple users a test text string each time an access text string is presented to the users, wherein the access text string is for use in providing access to a computing service and the test text string is for use only in evaluating the test text string as a future access text string;

receiving input related to the test text string from the users; and

using the input related to the test text string to validate the test text string as a candidate to use as a future access text string.

24. The recordable storage medium of claim 23 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

receiving input related to the access text string from the users;

comparing the input related to the access text string; and

providing access to a computing service when the input related to the access text string matches the access text string.

25. The recordable storage medium of claim 23 wherein the instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of using the input related to the test text string comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of performing a statistical analysis on the input related to the test string to validate the test text string as a candidate to use as a future access string.

26. The recordable storage medium of claim 23 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of using the input related to the test text string to validate a distortion algorithm used to generate the test text string.

27. A computer-implemented text string evaluation system, comprising:

an access server that is configured to receive requests for access, to present access text strings and test text strings to users, and to receive input related to the access text strings and input related to the test text strings from the users, wherein the access text strings are for use in providing access to a computing service and the test text strings are for use only in evaluating the test text strings as future access text strings; and

an evaluation processor that is configured to use the input related to the test text strings to validate the test text strings as candidates to use as future access text strings.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprising a text string generator that is configured to generate text strings by randomly selecting characters, selecting a font, selecting a distortion algorithm and applying the selected font and the selected distortion algorithm to the randomly selected characters.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising a filter that is operably coupled with the text string generator and that is configured to determine whether the text strings generated by the text string generator are readable by a non-human.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the evaluation processor is further configured to use the input related to the test text strings to validate the distortion algorithm used to generate the test text strings.