The weak-password problem: Chaos, criticality, and encrypted p-CAPTCHAs

Laptyeva, T. V.; Flach, S.; Kladko, K.

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The weak-password problem: Chaos, criticality, and encrypted p-CAPTCHAs

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Laptyeva, T. V.
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Max Planck Society;

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Flach, S.
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Max Planck Society;

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Laptyeva, T. V., Flach, S., & Kladko, K. (2011). The weak-password problem: Chaos, criticality, and encrypted p-CAPTCHAs. EPL, 95(5): 50007.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0029-8C37-C

Abstract

Vulnerabilities related to weak passwords are a pressing global economic and security issue. We report a novel, simple, and effective approach to address the weak-password problem. Building upon chaotic dynamics, criticality at phase transitions, CAPTCHA recognition, and computational round-off errors, we design an algorithm that strengthens the security of passwords. The core idea of our simple method is to split a long and secure password into two components. The first component is memorized by the user. The second component is transformed into a CAPTCHA image and then protected using the evolution of a two-dimensional dynamical system close to a phase transition, in such a way that standard brute-force attacks become ineffective. We expect our approach to have wide applications for authentication and encryption technologies. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2011