Carleton University - School of Computer Science Honours Project
Winter 2021
Method of Loci PassTiles
Silver Lewis
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ABSTRACT
The method of loci is a technique that takes advantage of humanity's impressive visual-spatial memory often called “memory palace”. This project seeks to build a new password scheme that leverages this encoding method. The project builds on a previous password scheme, proposed by Robert Biddle and Elizabeth Stobert called PassTiles. PassTiles is composed of three password schemes, each of which encourages the user to use a specific type of memory retrieval. Loci PassTiles attempts to build on the PassTiles scheme and test if path-based password schemes improve long-term memorability within passwords. The goal of this experiment is to improve password longevity while keeping the previous benefits. This authentication scheme also attempts to increase some usability aspects that PassTiles suffers from when compared to its text-based alternatives such as increased resistance to shoulder surfing and decreasing the time it takes to enter a password.