Tactile Passwords vs Shoulder Surfing

holy_calamity writes "Entering passwords using a tactile interface would remove two of the main vulnerabilities of using keyboards and alphanumeric passwords say UK researchers. They're using sequences of tactile icons on a VTPlayer tactile mouse instead. Shapes are displayed using the 16-pin tactile displays under the user's fore and middle fingers. As well as being almost impossible for anyone else to observe, tactile passwords can't be guessable in the same way as many conventional ones, they say. A video shows it all in action." Not that the video really helps explain it very well.

Comments

special tactile mouse needed ..

[rs232]

You don't need any special tactile mouse. The same could be achieved using a clickable image map showing a keypad with the numbers in random locations. You get a different map each time you enter the site. So keyloggers wouldn't be of any use.

Easier solution

[3Suns]

I've always made sure that my passwords contain a string of easily-typable letters consisting primarily of alternating-hand homerow keys, to complement the numbers, punctuation, and capitalization elsewhere in the password. Since you can tap out those letters so quickly without moving your hands around dramatically, it makes it much more difficult for anyone to eyeball your password.

I've seen countless stories about dedicated password-entry hardware, but none of them (with the minor example of insecure fingerprint scanners) have made an impression. Purpose-dedicated hardware rarely does.