User authentication using scene composed of selected objects

A system for authenticating a user, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processing device, coupled to the memory, operative to implement the following steps:
• obtaining enrollment information from a user, wherein the enrollment information comprises a first scene comprised of a first selection of objects that includes a first object that is positioned behind a second object;
• initiating a challenge to the user in connection with an authentication request by the user to access a protected resource;
• processing a second scene comprised of a second selection of objects submitted by the user in response to the challenge, and wherein the processing comprises determining a likelihood that the submitted second scene comprised of the second selection of objects matches the first scene comprised of the first selection of objects submitted by the user with the enrollment information;
• and
• resolving the authentication request based on the determined likelihood, wherein at least one object of the second selection of objects becomes more transparent over time in accordance with an expiration period to indicate that the user will need to register a new first scene when the at least one object of the second selection of objects is no longer visible.

A computer program product for authenticating a user, comprising a tangible machine-readable storage medium having encoded therein executable code of one or more software programs, wherein the one or more software programs when executed by at least one processing device perform the following steps:

• obtaining enrollment information from a user, wherein the enrollment information comprises a first scene comprised of a first selection of objects that includes a first object that is positioned behind a second object;
• initiating a challenge to the user in connection with an authentication request by the user to access a protected resource;
• processing a second scene comprised of a second selection of objects submitted by the user in response to the challenge, and wherein the processing comprises determining a likelihood that the submitted second scene comprised of the second selection of objects matches the first scene comprised of the first selection of objects submitted by the user with the enrollment information;
• and
• resolving the authentication request based on the likelihood, wherein at least one object of the second selection of objects becomes more transparent over time in accordance with an expiration period to indicate that the user will need to register a new first scene when the at least one object of the second selection of objects is no longer visible.