TaPIN: Reinforcing PIN Authentication on Smartphones With Tap Biometrics

Abstract

PIN authentication is the first line of defense for protecting private data on many smartphone applications, such as lock screens, messengers, and banking apps. However, existing PIN authentication systems have several constraints regarding security, usability, and robustness. To go beyond their limitations, this paper presents TaPIN, a reliable system that authenticates smartphone users with the collaborative use of PINs and tap biometrics. A user is first instructed to enter her PIN by tapping a smartphone screen for authentication. During the PIN entry, the user's fingertip collides with the screen, producing user-specific vibration and sound signals. TaPIN then senses the tap-induced signals and the collision properties, e.g., pressures and sizes, using the smartphone's built-in sensors and leverages them as biometric features. That is, it authenticates the user by verifying not only the entered PIN but also the collected features. Our experiments with 20 real-world users demonstrate that this two-factor authentication system is easy to use, more secure than existing methods, and deployable without dedicated hardware. For example, it accurately authenticates users with an average EER of 1.9% in stationary environments and maintains a reasonable level of security regardless of devices, tap styles, and noise.