An image edge based approach for image password encryption

Abstract

Authentication plays a major role in ensuring the security of the system by allowing only the authorized user. The traditional authentication system of using text-based passwords has many flaws in the aspects of usability and security issues. Hence, graphical passwords, which consist of clicking or dragging activities on the pictures rather than typing textual characters, were introduced to overcome this problem. However, it is found that these graphical passwords are susceptible to brute force and dictionary attack methods. To overcome this drawback, images can be used as password replacing alphanumeric and graphical passwords. The challenge lies in encrypting the image password and storing it in the database. An image edge password encryption (IEPE) algorithm is proposed to encrypt the image passwords based on its edge values. Experimental results are shown to prove that encrypted image passwords using IEPE algorithm requires a less internal storage space when compared with the existing password encryption techniques. It is also shown that IEPE algorithm scales better when compared with the existing text-based and graphical password authentication methods. Also, IEPE algorithm is shown to resist various password cryptanalytic attacks. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.