Password management using doodles

The average computer user needs to remember a large number of text username and password combinations for different applications, which places a large cognitive load on the user. Consequently users tend to write down passwords, use easy to remember (and guess) passwords, or use the same password for multiple applications, leading to security risks. This paper describes the use of personalized hand-drawn "doodles" for recall and management of password information. Since doodles can be easier to remember than text passwords, the cognitive load on the user is reduced. Our method involves recognizing doodles by matching them against stored prototypes using handwritten shape matching techniques. We have built a system which manages passwords for web applications through a web browser. In this system, the user logs into a web application by drawing a doodle using a touchpad or digitizing tablet attached to the computer. The user is automatically logged into the web application if the doodle matches the doodle drawn during enrollment. We also report accuracy results for our doodle recognition system, and conclude with a summary of next steps.