System and Method for Generating and Displaying a Keyboard Comprising a Random Layout of Keys
Systems and methods for generating and displaying a keyboard comprising a random layout of keys are described here. One embodiment includes displaying a keyboard comprising a random layout of keys, to receive a user entered key phrase to be entered to gain access to secure data, and receiving the user entered key phrase by the user selecting keys of the keyboard via a pointing input device. The displaying includes, individually mapping keys of the keyboard to a separate value within a first value range, selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value generated, and repeating the generating the random value and selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value to select a remainder of keys for generating the random layout of keys for the keyboard.
1 . A method comprising:
displaying a keyboard comprising a random layout of keys, to receive a user entered key phrase to be entered to gain access to secure data; and
receiving the user entered key phrase by the user selecting keys of the keyboard via a pointing input device.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying comprises:
individually mapping keys of the keyboard to a separate value within a first value range;
generating a random value within the first value range;
selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value generated;
repeating the generating the random value and selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value to select a remainder of keys for generating the random layout of keys for the keyboard.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
disabling a keyboard coupled to a system displaying the keyboard having a random layout of keys.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the displaying further comprises:
subsequent to selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value generated, remapping remaining keys to a separate value within a second value range, wherein the second value range is less than a previous value range.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the second value range is less than the first value range by at least one iteration.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying further comprises:
mapping each randomly selected key with a separate display coordinate position to identify a key selected by a user via a pointing input device.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying one or more of the keys in a non-machine readable image.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying the one or more keys in the non-machine readable image comprises displaying the one or more keys in a scrambled bitmap.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying the one or more keys in the non-machine readable image comprises applying a format to distort the one or more keys.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying the one or more keys in the non-machine readable image comprises applying a watermark to the one or more keys.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the displaying the one or more keys in the non-machine readable image comprises applying a format to distort the one or more keys, and applying a watermark to the one or more keys.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the key phrase input by the user to gain access to secured data; and
in response to receiving the user entered key phrase, randomly selecting a set of substitute characters and providing the set substitute characters in place of the key phrase entered by the user.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the randomly selecting comprises using a random number generator to select from a substitute character from a pre-generated set of substitute characters for each character, number, or text of the user entered key phrase.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the providing the set of substitute characters further comprises providing the randomly selected set of substitute characters in a display buffer as the user entered key phrase to be displayed.
15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing, in a memory of a system, a representation of the user entered key phrase, the representation being different and separate from the randomly selected set of substitute characters.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising comparing the representation of the user entered key phrase stored in the memory with a pre-stored value, to verify the user entered key phrase.
17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to receiving an incorrect key phrase a number a predetermined number of times, generating and displaying a second keyboard comprising a random layout of keys.
18 . A system, comprising:
a means for, displaying a keyboard comprising a random layout of keys, to receive a user entered key phrase to be entered to gain access to secure data; and
a means for, receiving the user entered key phrase by the user selecting keys of the keyboard via a pointing input device.
19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a means for, individually mapping keys of the keyboard to a separate value within a first value range;
a means for, generating a random value within the first value range;
a means for, selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value generated;
a means for, repeating the generating the random value and selecting a key for the keyboard based on the random value to select a remainder of keys for generating the random layout of keys for the keyboard.
20 . A machine readable media embodying instructions, the instructions causing a machine to perform a method, the method comprising:
displaying a keyboard comprising a random layout of keys, to receive a user entered key phrase to be entered to gain access to secure data; and
receiving the user entered key phrase by the user selecting keys of the keyboard via a pointing input device.