Modern Authentication Techniques in Smart Phones: Security and Usability Perspective
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(IJACSA) International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2017 Modern Authentication Techniques in Smart Phones: Security and Usability Perspective Usman Shafique Asma Sher Rahim Ullah Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Science Bahria University COMSATS Institute of Information COMSATS Institute of Information Islamabad, Pakistan Technology Technology Islamabad, Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan Hikmat Khan Department of Computer Science Adnan Zeb Rehmat Ullah COMSATS Institute of Information Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Science Technology COMSATS Institute of Information COMSATS Institute of Information Islamabad, Pakistan Technology Technology Islamabad, Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan Sabah-ud-din Waqar Department of Computer Science Uferah Shafi Faisal Bashir Bahria University Department of Computer Science Department of Computer Science Islamabad, Pakistan COMSATS Institute of Information Bahria University Technology Islamabad, Pakistan Islamabad, Pakistan Munam Ali Shah Department of Computer Science Bahria University Islamabad, Pakistan Abstract—A smartphone has more advanced computing applications in online market. Therefore, smartphone and its ability and connectivity than basic featured phones. Presently, we applications are now most prevalent keywords in mobile are moving from the Internet society to a mobile society where technology [1]. However, to provide these customized services, more and more access to the information is required. This has a smartphone needs more private information and this can resulted in a mobile security which is no longer immanent, but cause security weaknesses. All smartphones are preferred imperative. Smartphone authentication has received substantial targets of attacks. Authentication is a primary step for the attention of the research community for the past several years safeguard of the integrity and confidentiality of an because there have been modern developments beyond the infrastructure that can only be maintained by proper classical PINs and passwords making user authentication more identification of the end users. Authentication and challenging. In this paper, we critically analyze the attacks and authorization controls help protect unapproved access to the vulnerabilities in smartphones’ authentication mechanisms. A comparative analysis of different authentication techniques mobile devices and the data on them. Smartphone security [2] along with the usage of the different authentication methods is authentication is vital for our assets that include our individual discussed which lead the end-user towards choosing the most data, corporate intellectual property, classified information, suitable and customizable authentication technique. financial assets, device and service availability and functionality, personal and political reputation. Authentication Keywords—smartphone; authentication; security; attacks; helps prevent data loss in the case of mobile device theft or knowledge-based damage. Numerous authentication techniques are proposed through which we can enhance security so that no intruder can I. INTRODUCTION breach the security. The rise in the usage of the smartphone over the past few A smartphone is a vital source of information. However, years has been a technology triumph story. Latest expansions the availability of this information has initiated a growth in in mobile technologies have produced a new kind of device, a cyber-attacks. The cyber security risk to unauthorized data programmable mobile phone, the smartphone. Generally, access is principally the same for smartphones [3][4] as it is for smartphone users can program any application which is tablets, laptops or any other mobile device operating outside of tailored for needs. Furthermore, they can share these an organization‟s physical offices. As more and more people 331 | P a g e www.ijacsa.thesai.org (IJACSA) International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol. 8, No. 1, 2017 use their smart cell phones to run their whole lives, hackers and highlighting the merits and demerits of the authentication others will center their efforts on getting the information they schemes. In this work we will analyze vulnerabilities in want from these devices. Regrettably, this also poses great smartphone authentication mechanisms, attacks related to challenges in terms of security for organizations with smartphone authentication system and their pros and cons. employees who use such devices in their day-to-day work. Comparative analysis of authentication techniques discussed in Data security is a chief concern not only for enterprises and this paper will lead end-users towards better decision-making small business [5], but for everyday users as well. With for choosing the most suitable techniques. extensive data breaches, revealing everything from customer login credentials to credit card information to personal health The main objective of this paper is to analyze the modern records. It also stores information about your calls, your security attacks and vulnerabilities in the authentication of location, what you have sought on the Internet and passwords smartphones. The rest of the paper is organized as follow. to social networks. There can be grave consequences if your Section II critically review the different authentication phone ends up in the wrong hands [6]. techniques along with their limitations. In Section III, performance comparison of different smartphone Above all, you, as the owner, are considerably exposed. authentication techniques on the basis of some parameters is People in your circle of contacts can be mapped. Possibly you performed. Section IV discusses the open issues and the paper have sensitive contact information, business secrets, is concluded in Section V. documents, minutes of meetings, customer registers or patient information accessible through your e-mails. Or even worse, a II. CLASSIFICATION OF THE SMARTPHONE manipulated smartphone may be used as an eavesdropping [7] AUTHENTICATION TECHNIQUES device or means for transporting information from, or carrying In general, the authentication process is classified into three out virus attacks on your company‟s internal networks. Simply, categories, i) something you know (knowledge based); ii) being a little too forgetful plays a huge part in the growing something you have (possession based); and iii) something you phone theft trend. People are willing to pay big money to get are (identity based). We provide further details in the their data only. Smartphones carry extremely personal subsequent sections. information, from banking information to corporate email. Fifty percent of phone theft sufferers would be somewhat A. Knowledge-based Authentication likely to extremely likely to pay $500 to regain their stolen A knowledge-based authentication (KBA) is a security phone‟s data, including all photos, videos, music, apps, and measure that identifies the users by asking them to answer private information, while one-third of sufferers would be specific security questions. Knowledge-based authentication somewhat likely to extremely likely to pay $1,000. Even more, has become prevalent where users are asked to answer these 68 percent of phone theft victims are ready to put themselves in questions in order to gain access to personal, password- some amount of danger to recover a stolen device and the protected areas. Even though this technique is effective but still valuable information on its [8]. This example evidently proves it gets difficult for people to learn the pins and passwords. In the importance of security of smartphones in the present time. future, computers would have the ability to guess these passwords [13][14]. On the other hand, KBA can be an One should always be aware of the leaky applications apart effective way to manage authorization for individual users, but from theft as unfortunately it is difficult to know what and how there are also critical concerns about privacy that have been applications are communicating with the devices. More than raised around the idea of using this kind of personal half of mobile users are heedless that hackers can take control information for online or network security. There are two types of their smartphones, according to research by Kaspersky [9]. of KBA. Cybercriminals repackage malicious code in mobile applications that grants access and use these sensors in an Static KBA: Static KBA [15] is also known as shared unethical manner. Attackers can harm you in many ways for secret and is commonly used by email service instance, he can record the conversations and send it to the providers and financial services to prove the identity of third party, removal of personal and professional data [10], customer. making phone calls forcibly, unintentional disclosure of data, financial malware attacks and thus making your phone Dynamic KBA: Dynamic KBA provides high level unusable. Every week there are incidents reported about the authentication that uses the knowledge of the user to smartphone security breaches, mobile malware and cloud authenticate it [15]. services that have been hacked or compromised in some way. KBA is no longer a suitable authentication method as this We all use our smartphones to keep personal and sensitive technique is quite easy to break. It is easy to work out via information – emails, messages, pictures, bank account details social networking [16][17]. Social