Nucleus Research released a study saying one in three people write down their passwords (we believe it is a lot more) thus undermining computer security. Given all the applications and websites that require user id/password entry, no wonder. Workers “hide” their passwords in top drawers or under a nearby book or blatantly put them on a monitor-mounted post-it note.
The next step forward is to use biometrics such as fingerprint readers and voice recognition to reduce the “cost” of passwords.
IT departments spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with password issues: lost or stolen passwords, and resetting passwords on computers. Many send passwords over email which, unless they are using company servers, is like sending postcards: it will get to its destination but many people on the way can look at them. Our personal experience reveals that on average it takes about 1 hour to take care of resetting a password on a corporate computer.
Cognitive biometrics analyzes human behavior in order to ensure access to a resource. For example, several personal multiple choice questions may be asked. Behaviors such as mouse movement and response time are learned for better identification. No additional hardware is required for this branch of biometrics.
Other possibilities are vein identification or facial recognition but sophisticated hardware is required.
Until then, pick strong passwords and keep them in a safe place.
Doug
