Authentication to a remote server from a computing device having stored credentials

1. A method of authenticating a user to a remote server through a client application executing on a computing device, comprising:

receiving user input of a text password for authenticating at a remote server, and storing the text password as credentials on the computing device;

receiving, by the client application, a request to authenticate the user to the remote server using the credentials stored on the computing device;

prompting, by the client application, the user for a gesture-based password in order to use the text password of the credentials;

authenticating, by the client application, the gesture-based password; and

sending, by the client application, the stored credentials to the remote server for authentication in response to successful authentication of the gesture-based password, the text password of the credentials being used for authentication at the remote server;

obtaining indicia of at least one of motion or orientation of the client computing device during input of the gesture-based password;

comparing the indicia of the motion and/or orientation to predefined motion and/or orientation; and

authenticating the gesture-based password based on a combination of comparison results from the sample data of the at least one human gesture and the indicia of the motion and/or orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the gesture-based password to have failed authentication;

removing the stored credentials from the client computing device; and

prompting the user for credentials used to authenticate to the remote server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of prompting the user for gesture-based password comprises:

prompting the user for at least one human gesture for detection by at least one sensor on the client computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one human gesture includes at least one hand gesture and the at least one sensor includes a touch-sensitive device.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of authenticating the gesture-based password comprises:

obtaining sample data of the at least one human gesture captured by the at least one sensor; and

comparing the sample data of the at least one human gesture to at least one predefined human gesture.

6. The method of claim, 1 wherein the indicia of the motion and/or orientation of the client computing device is obtained from at least one of an accelerometer, magnetometer, or gyroscope of the client computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote server provides access to a remote desktop of the user and the application is a client used to access the remote desktop.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the remote desktop is running on a virtual machine.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the request to authenticate in response to the application being brought to a foreground execution state from a background execution state.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed in a client computing device, causes the client computing device to carry out the steps of:

receiving user input of a text password for authenticating at a remote server, and storing the text password as credentials on the computing device;

receiving, by the client application, a request to authenticate the user to the remote server using the credentials stored on the computing device;

prompting, by the client application, the user for a gesture-based password in order to use the text password of the credentials;

authenticating, by the client application, the gesture-based password; and

sending, by the client application, the stored credentials to the remote server for authentication in response to successful authentication of the gesture-based password, the text password of the credentials being used for authentication at the remote server;

obtaining indicia of at least one of motion or orientation of the client computing device during input of the gesture-based password;

comparing the indicia of the motion and/or orientation to predefined motion and/or orientation; and

authenticating the gesture-based password based on a combination of comparison results from the sample data of the at least one human gesture and the indicia of the motion and/or orientation.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining the gesture-based password to have failed authentication;

removing the stored credentials from the client computing device; and

prompting the user for credentials used to authenticate to the remote server.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the step of prompting the user for gesture-based password comprises:

prompting the user for at least one human gesture for detection by at least one sensor on the client computing device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the step of authenticating the gesture-based password comprises:

obtaining sample data of the at least one human gesture captured by the at least one sensor; and

comparing the sample data of the at least one human gesture to at least one predefined human gesture.

14. A computing system configured to support access to a remote server over a network, comprising:

at least one sensor to identify human gestures;

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing credentials that include a text password for authenticating at a remote server; and

a processor to run a client application programmed to provide a first component that receives a request to authenticate a user to the remote server using the stored credentials, and a second component that prompts a user for a gesture-based password comprising at least one human gesture using the at least one sensor and sends the stored credentials to the remote server for authentication in response to successful authentication of the gesture-based password, the text password of the credentials being used for authentication at the remote server;

at least one additional sensor to detect at least one of motion or orientation of the client computing system;

wherein the application is programmed to obtain indicia of at least one of motion or orientation of the client computing device from the at least one additional sensor during input of the gesture-based password, compare the indicia of the motion and/or orientation to predefined motion and/or orientation, and authenticate the gesture-based password based on a combination of comparison results from the sample data of the at least one human gesture and the indicia of the motion and/or orientation.

15. The client computing system of claim 14 , wherein the application is programmed to determine the gesture-based password to have failed authentication, remove the stored credentials from the client computing system, and prompt the user for credentials used to authenticate to the remote server.

16. The client computing system of claim 14 , wherein the gesture-based password includes at least one hand gesture and the at least one sensor includes a touch-sensitive device.

17. The client computing system of claim 14 , wherein the application is programmed to obtain sample data of the at least one human gesture captured by the at least one sensor and compare the sample data of the at least one human gesture to at least one predefined human gesture.