Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for authenticating a candidate user of a microprocessor based system by using performance measures obtained through monitoring the behavior of the candidate user as he participates in an interactive procedure. The candidate user is authenticated if the performance measures compare favorably with predetermined requisite performance measures. The performance of an authorized user during the interactive procedure, as judged by the performance measures, must be reliably repeatable. The requisite performance measures are effectively disguised from the user and any potential onlookers, at once ensuring the integrity of the authentication method against sharing, eavesdropping, and coercion. In essence, the interactive procedure must elicit consistent performance from an authorized user, but in a manner that is not easily described or even understood by the authorized user or any onlookers. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, these characteristics are achieved by constructing an interactive procedure in a progressively combinatorial complex manner, training an authorized user to perform acceptably at each stage of increasing complexity.

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First Claim