Systems and methods for selecting questions for knowledge-based authentication based on social entropy

A system for selecting questions for knowledge-based authentication based on social entropy, the system comprising:

• an identification module, stored in memory, that identifies a potential question to ask a user of a computing system during a Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) process in an attempt to verify the user's identity;
• a determination module, stored in memory, that determines whether any information suggestive of a correct answer to the potential question is available to anyone other than the user of the computing system by determining whether any information suggestive of the correct answer is published online;
• an entropy module, stored in memory, that:
• calculates a social entropy of the potential question based at least in part on the determination of whether any information suggestive of the correct answer is published online;
• and
• ranks, with respect to social entropy, the potential question and at least one other potential question to ask the user of the computing system during the KBA process;
• wherein the determination module determines that the potential question is ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy;
• a selection module, stored in memory, that selects the potential question to be asked to the user during the KBA process due at least in part to the potential question being ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy;
• and
• at least one physical processor that:
• is configured to execute the identification module, the determination module, the entropy module, and the selection module;
• and
• performs the KBA process by asking the user the potential question due at least in part to the potential question being ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

• identify a potential question to ask a user of a computing system during a Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) process in an attempt to verify the user's identity;
• determine whether any information suggestive of a correct answer to the potential question is available to anyone other than the user of the computing system by determining whether any information suggestive of the correct answer is published online;
• calculate a social entropy of the potential question based at least in part on the determination of whether any information suggestive of the correct answer is published online;
• rank, with respect to social entropy, the potential question and at least one other potential question to ask the user of the computing system during the KBA process;
• determine that the potential question is ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy;
• select the potential question to be asked to the user during the KBA process due at least in part to the potential question being ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy;
• and
• perform the KBA process by asking the user the potential question due at least in part to the potential question being ranked higher than the other potential question with respect to social entropy.