Patent ID: 8201227

Claim:
A method for authenticating an end user, said method implemented through use of a computer processor, said method comprising: said processor generating a server mask for display to the end user on a display unit accessible to the end user in response to an authentication request from the end user, wherein the server mask comprises a set of nodes, wherein each node of the set of nodes in the server mask is in a unique spatial location in the server mask, wherein each node of the set of nodes in the server mask is either transparent or opaque, wherein the set of nodes comprises a set of root nodes, wherein the set of root nodes in the server mask consists of a server set of transparent root nodes and a server set of opaque root nodes, and wherein the server set of transparent root nodes are a result of a first random selection of root nodes from the set of root nodes; after the server mask has been displayed to the end user on the display unit, said processor receiving a selected subset of root nodes of the set of root nodes, said selected subset of root nodes having been selected by the end user; and in response to said receiving the selected subset of root nodes, said processor authenticating the end user by determining that the spatial location in the server mask of each root node of the selected subset of root nodes matches a spatial position of a corresponding root node of the server set of transparent root nodes in the server mask.