COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ALPHANUMERIC AND GRAPHICAL PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION METHODS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52326/jss.utm.2026.9(2).08Keywords:
authentication velocity, biometric alternatives, graphical credentials, identity management, picture superiority, recognition memory, shoulder surfing, user interface usabilityAbstract
As digital ecosystems expand, traditional alphanumeric credentials face critical vulnerabilities due to human cognitive limitations and predictable reuse behavior. This study presents a comparative empirical evaluation of traditional text-based passwords and a sequential, recognition-based graphical authentication framework designed around culturally familiar visual elements. Using a controlled experimental setup with a sample size of 203 university students, both modalities were tested under multiple simulated scenarios to assess security, ease of use, retention, and entry velocity. The empirical findings demonstrate that the graphical password architecture significantly outperformed the alphanumeric control baseline, showing a +1.4 increase in ease of use and a +1.2 enhancement in long-term memorability metrics. Additionally, authentication speed improved by 5.9 seconds on average. However, the visual nature of the interface introduces an elevated risk of shoulder-surfing incursions. We conclude that integrating cued visual cues with alphanumeric strings via multi-layered or hybrid frameworks effectively counteracts baseline text vulnerabilities while preserving superior recognition properties.
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