Inquest: system to utilize perceptible information to affirm user identity on personal mobile devices

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2015-12

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Abstract

Inquest is a secondary factor method for affirming user identity on a personal handheld computing device. The traditional personal computer market of notebooks and desk-based computers are on a steady decline and it is expected that tablets and smartphones shall complement and gradually replace desk based computers as the preferred medium for critical and sensitive personal and professional data access and computing needs. This introduces a new set of challenges quite different from traditionally ones to secure access to these personal computing devices. This work and the report looks into aspects of affirming user identity on mobile devices making use of perceptible information readily available on that device. Inquest, the instantiation of the envisioned system and method uses a client-server model where the clients are these mobile devices listening and reporting perceptible information data crumbs to the server making use of a RESTful interface model. Predictive analytical methods are employed and any association or relationships relevant for available information is computed and stored at server to be retrieved for notifying identity affirmation status. Data model used for storing preprocessed information is defined and effectiveness of selected predictive analysis methods against the data model is documented. The approach leveraged for generating training data is documented.

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