Graphical passwords are an alternative form of authentication that use images for login, and leverage the picture superiority e↵ect for good usability and memorability. Categories of graphical passwords have been distinguished on the basis of di↵erent kinds of memory retrieval (recall, cued-recall, and recognition). Psychological research suggests that leveraging recognition memory should be best, but this remains an open question in the password literature. This paper examines how di↵erent kinds of memory retrieval a↵ect the memorability and usability of random assigned graphical passwords. A series of five studies of graphical and text passwords showed that participants were able to better remember recognition-based graphical passwords, but their usability was limited by slow login times. A graphical password scheme that leveraged recognition and recall memory was most successful at combining memorability and usability.
Stobert and Biddle REF showed that cued-recall was better than free-recall and that recognition-based graphical passwords were more memorable than recall-based passwords.
Memory Retrieval and Graphical Passwords
SOUPS
Computer Science