Abstract or Summary:
We introduce a new class of authentication schemes called "video-passwords", which require the user to watch and remember parts of a given video (e.g., a sequence of scenes, movements, and/or sounds). We propose four different video-password schemes, describe their prototypes, and analyze their security. Under certain parameters, the security of some of these schemes appears to be theoretically comparable to traditional text passwords. Video-passwords provide more than potentially better security; they also present a unique opportunity for businesses to consider -- advertising through the rich multimedia used in the login task. We suggest that the adoption of new schemes, such as video-passwords may be more likely in the presence of monetary incentives provided through advertising; we also discuss some ethical issues that may arise from such incentives.