"'Knock Codes' For Smartphone Security Are Easily Predicted, Researchers Say"

The knock code authentication scheme, popularized by LG in 2014, is not as safe or effective as users think. Knock codes allow smartphone owners to create tap patterns that they could use to unlock their phone. A team of researchers from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, George Washington University, and Ruhr University Bochum analyzed how easy it could be for an attacker to guess a tapping pattern. The researchers conducted an online study in which 351 participants were asked to pick a knock code. They found that most of the participants selected patterns based on Western reading habits. Increasing the size of the grid used to tap in the chosen sequence also led users to pick shorter codes. The researchers suggest implementing a feature that blocks easily guessable codes and advises users to select more complex ones. This article continues to discuss the concept of knock codes and findings from the study of knock code patterns.

Newswise reports "'Knock Codes' For Smartphone Security Are Easily Predicted, Researchers Say"