Web password recovery --- a necessary evil?

Fatma Al Maqbali; Chris J Mitchell

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arXiv · 1801.06730

Web password recovery --- a necessary evil?

Fatma Al Maqbali·Chris J Mitchell

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Abstract

Web password recovery, enabling a user who forgets their password to re-establish a shared secret with a website, is very widely implemented. However, use of such a fall-back system brings with it additional vulnerabilities to user authentication. This paper provides a framework within which such systems can be analysed systematically, and uses this to help gain a better understanding of how such systems are best implemented. To this end, a model for web password recovery is given, and existing techniques are documented and analysed within the context of this model. This leads naturally to a set of recommendations governing how such systems should be implemented to maximise security. A range of issues for further research are also highlighted.

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Fatma Al Maqbali, Chris J Mitchell. 2018-01-20. Web password recovery --- a necessary evil?. https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.06730

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