Patent ID: 8156342
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a security progression indication to a user, comprising: a. selecting maximum expected security level; wherein selecting a maximum expected security level comprises selecting a plurality of maximum expected levels, and wherein selecting a nonlinear function comprises selecting a plurality of non-linear functions, each corresponding to one of the maximum expected levels, and wherein generating the display comprises monitoring the totality of the user's input to determine which of the plurality of non-linear functions should be used to generate the display; b. selecting a non-linear function bounded by a linear function and an exponential function that crosses zero security level and the maximum expected security level, the non-linear function indicative of an estimated work required to breach security of a password generated by user input, the estimated work required to breach security being based on entropy of the user input; c. generating in a computing environment a security level display that progress with the user's input for the password according to the estimated work required to breach security indicated by non-linear function and displaying the security level display on a display device.