A method of authenticating access to an electronic device having a touch-sensitive keyboard, and having an authentication module, the method comprising: detecting receipt of a candidate sequence of actions, the sequence of actions including a sensed movement on the touch-sensitive keyboard, wherein: the electronic device is configured to consider subsets of keys on the touch-sensitive keyboard to be regions (202L, 202C, 202R) of the touch-sensitive keyboard and to consider a set of available characters each corresponding to a combination of an action and a region of the touch-sensitive keyboard where the action can take place, and responsive to the detecting of the candidate sequence of actions, the method comprises determining, by the authentication module, that a candidate sequence of said available characters matches a stored sequence of said available characters, wherein each character of said candidate sequence corresponds to a combination between an action of said candidate sequence of actions and the region (202L, 202C, 202R) of the touch-sensitive keyboard where the action takes place; or said candidate sequence of actions includes a first pattern of key presses interspersed with key-to-key movements and ending with a lift from contact with the touch-sensitive keyboard, and responsive to the detecting said first pattern of key presses, the method comprises determining, by the authentication module, that the first pattern of key presses matches a stored second pattern of key presses interspersed with key-to-key movements and ending with a lift from contact with the touch-sensitive keyboard which can be provided anywhere on the touch-sensitive keyboard; and responsive to said determining, allowing access to the electronic device. the electronic device is configured to consider subsets of keys on the touch-sensitive keyboard to be regions (202L, 202C, 202R) of the touch-sensitive keyboard and to consider a set of available characters each corresponding to a combination of an action and a region of the touch-sensitive keyboard where the action can take place, and responsive to the detecting of the candidate sequence of actions, the method comprises determining, by the authentication module, that a candidate sequence of said available characters matches a stored sequence of said available characters, wherein each character of said candidate sequence corresponds to a combination between an action of said candidate sequence of actions and the region (202L, 202C, 202R) of the touch-sensitive keyboard where the action takes place; or said candidate sequence of actions includes a first pattern of key presses interspersed with key-to-key movements and ending with a lift from contact with the touch-sensitive keyboard, and responsive to the detecting said first pattern of key presses, the method comprises determining, by the authentication module, that the first pattern of key presses matches a stored second pattern of key presses interspersed with key-to-key movements and ending with a lift from contact with the touch-sensitive keyboard which can be provided anywhere on the touch-sensitive keyboard; and responsive to said determining, allowing access to the electronic device.