- We propose an authentication scheme resistant to eavesdropping attacks. Users select an alphanumeric password with a length of 9-15 symbols. They can use this password in the traditional manner from a secure client. The same password can also be used from a non-secure client in a manner highly resistant to eavesdropping attacks. Although more complex than traditional password entry, in our tests 11 out of 13 users had overall success rates of 80% and above, and 12 of the 13 users had 100% success rates after the initial learning stage. The average authentication time is 1-2 minutes, depending on the password length. Like all similar authentication schemes reported to date, this scheme is too cumbersome for general use, but could be useful for special situations and with motivated users.
Bogdan Hoanca, Kenrick J. Mock