Research Directions in Authentication and Personal Data

This work provides an analysis of current research exploring the problems that arise with combinations of personal data used in primary and secondary authentication and personal data available online. Personal data, such as names and birthdates, are used frequently in password creation or as answers to secondary authentication question. In combination, these problems increase security risks while failing to provide users with usability in the most common of authentication mechanism. Here, current literature is evaluated to compare current personal data used in password authentication with data commonly available online for individuals. The resulting contribution provides a framework for research, a compilation of current understandings of user’s password design and secondary authentication questions, the relationship of authentication to personal data, and directions for future research.