Method and system for providing authentication credentials

A system for authenticating a user, comprising:

• an account associated with an account owner and stored in a repository,
• wherein the account is linked to a media prompt, a question prompt, and a valid response,
• wherein the media prompt depicts an image lacking an event, and
• wherein the question prompt presents a question asking about characteristics of the event absent from the image and known based on personal knowledge specific to the user and the valid response is pre-selected by the account owner responsive to the question;
• and
• an authentication manager accessing the account, executing on a processor, and configured to:
• receive an account identifier from the user;
• obtain the media prompt from the account based on the account identifier;
• present the user with the media prompt intermixed in a plurality of false media and the question prompt intermixed in a plurality of false question prompts,
• wherein the false media prompts are of a same type of media as the media prompt,
• wherein each false question prompt presents a false question, and
• wherein the user knows which prompts are false question prompts and which prompts are false media prompts based on the personal knowledge specific to the user;
• receive input answering the question prompt, wherein the input is triggered by the user viewing the media prompt;
• compare the input with the valid response to confirm an identity of the user, wherein the valid response requires the personal knowledge specific to the user with respect to the media prompt;
• and
• authorize the user to access a resource when the identity of the user is confirmed.

A user interface generated by instructions executing on a processor and displayed on a display device, the user interface comprising:

• a plurality of false media prompts;
• a media prompt, intermixed in the plurality of false media prompts, depicting an image lacking an event, wherein the media prompt is of a same type of media as the false media prompts, and wherein the user knows which prompts are false media prompts based on personal knowledge specific to the user;
• a plurality of false question prompts each presenting a false question;
• a question prompt, intermixed in the plurality of false question prompts, presenting a question asking about characteristics of the event absent from the image and known based on the personal knowledge specific to the user, and wherein the user knows which prompts are false question prompts based on the personal knowledge specific to the user;
• and
• an input box for receiving input from the user viewing the display device, wherein the input is triggered by the user viewing the media prompt, wherein the input is compared with a valid response to confirm an identity of the user, wherein the valid response requires the personal knowledge specific to the user with respect to the media prompt, wherein the user is authorized to access a resource when the identity of the user is confirmed.

A computer system for authenticating a user, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• a storage device;
• and
• software instructions stored in the memory for enabling the computer system under control of the processor, to:
• receive an account identifier from the user;
• obtain a media prompt from an account based on the account identifier, wherein the media prompt depicts an image lacking an event;
• present the user with the media prompt and intermixed in a plurality of false media prompts and a question prompt intermixed in a plurality of false question prompts,
• wherein the question prompt presents a question asking about characteristics of the event absent from the image and known based on personal knowledge specific to the user,
• wherein the false media prompts are of a same type of media as the media prompt,
• wherein each false question prompt presents a false question, and
• wherein the user knows which prompts are false question prompts and which prompts are false media prompts based on the personal knowledge specific to the user;
• receive input answering the question prompt, wherein the input is triggered by the user viewing the media prompt;
• compare the input with a valid response to confirm an identity of the user, wherein the valid response requires the personal knowledge specific to the user with respect to the media prompt as related to the user;
• and
• authorize the user to access a resource when the identity of the user is confirmed.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code for authenticating a user, the computer readable program code for causing the computer system to:

• receive an account identifier from the user;
• obtain a media prompt from an account based on the account identifier, wherein the media prompt depicts an image lacking an event;
• present the user with the media prompt intermixed in a plurality of false media prompts and a question prompt intermixed in a plurality of false question prompts,
• wherein the question prompt presents a question asking about characteristics of the event absent from the image and known based on personal knowledge specific to the user,
• wherein the false media prompts are of a same type of media as the media prompt,
• wherein each false question prompt presents a false question, and
• wherein the user knows which prompts are false question prompts and which prompts are false media prompts based on the personal knowledge specific to the user;
• receive input answering the question prompt, wherein the input is triggered by the user viewing the media prompt;
• compare the input with a valid response to confirm an identity of the user, wherein the valid response requires the personal knowledge specific to the user with respect to the media prompt;
• and
• authorize the user to access a resource when the identity of the user is confirmed.