Output details

Age-Related Performance Issues for PIN and Face-Based Authentication Systems

Coventry supported the design of the evaluation method and was the principal author of the paper, with Nicholson acting as RA collecting data and providing the results.

This double-blind peer reviewed conference paper is the culmination of three years of research by the investigators (Coventry was Principal Investigator) and has achieved four goals: 1) designing the first robust and reliable evaluation method for memory based authentication which has formed the basis for subsequent studies; 2) designing an innovative graphical authentication system through the application of psychological principles of memory and ageing; 3) filled a long standing gap in knowledge about the objective memorability of PINs (personal identification numbers); 4) Identified the memorability issues for older adults and how problems for older adults can be reduced by correct application of the principles of psychology to the design process.

This work builds on Coventry’s previous work on graphical authentication systems funded by NCR. Her early work was part of the foundation of the usable security movement and published in a number of well cited papers, as well as being implemented in a commercial product. A subsequent paper by the authors, using the method to evaluate two other graphical authentication methods has been published in the International Journal of Human Computer Studies.