Carleton University - School of Computer Science Honours Project
Winter 2022
Exploring Rhythm-Based Passcodes for the Web
Thomas Roller
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ABSTRACT
We seek to determine if a rhythm-based authentication scheme can serve as an effective way for users to login to a website. The project focused on developing a web application to serve both as a proof-of-concept and as a study tool for testing the strategy’s effectiveness. The application demonstrated that implementing a music-focused passcode can be done for online usage. When asked, 72% of users found the scheme to be easy to use while 82% of users expressed interest in seeing it used in real-world applications. Conversely, only 36% of participants agreed that such a scheme would be practical. Ultimately, we found that users struggled to remember rhythms that were prepared in advance, especially over time. As a result, such a system could create issues for users. Regardless, new authentication schemes provide users with more options for securing their devices and accounts.