A Usability Study of a prototype Game Based Password System : a comparison between alphanumeric and game based passwords

Abstract: Passwords are the most commonly used form of authentication. The game based password system is a new concept based on a graphical password but with game features. This research focuses on the authentication systems’ usability and acceptability, from the users’ point of view. This research will investigate if users would rather use a game based password or the dominating alphanumeric password system, and how the users experience the security of the game based password. The game based password prototype used in this study is a simplified replication of the Game Changer Password by McLennan and co-workers. The present study consisted of a usability test with questionnaire and interviews. The results from the usability test show that the game based password is easier to remember than an alphanumeric password. The conclusion of the study is mainly that the game based password is both a secure and usable authentication method.