My Thoughts Are My Password, Verify Me

from the better-security-through-thinking? dept

Thu, Apr 27th 2006 7:19am — Mike Masnick

It seems that every few months a story pops up about advances in mind-controlled computer interfaces. It's important research in many ways, especially for people who have been paralyzed. However, it's clearly only at the earliest stages -- and some question if it will ever get that much further. Wired News is looking at the possibility of one day being able to use your thoughts as your password for better security. The idea being that the computer would recognize your specific brainwaves, that couldn't easily be copied by someone else. Some people believe this will never happen, as distinguishing on that fine a level of brainwaves might be impossible. However, even if it was possible, you have to wonder how effective it would be. It could work for normal logging in... but how does it work when you don't want to log in, but someone else wants you to? Ever try to not think about a certain thing? Our brains aren't really wired that way.

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26 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 27 Apr 2006 @ 7:38am

Easily defeated ---
Just think about sex to login, since that's what everyone's always thinking about...
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Brian, 27 Apr 2006 @ 7:42am

simple if you don't want it to read your brain waves.....Wear a tin foil hat!
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- Other Brian, 27 Apr 2006 @ 8:16am
  
  Aluminum Foil Hat
  http://zapatopi.net/afdb/
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- kerry, 27 Apr 2006 @ 10:53am
  
  Re: thans for the laugh
  I think an awfull lot do you think I could make those hats in smart styles?
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- The Walrus, 27 Apr 2006 @ 11:06am
  
  Re: tin foil hat
  Tin foil hats may actually amplify the signal, something about the shape. i think they tested it on mythbusters. now a lead foil hat, that'd work perfectly.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Apr 2006 @ 8:15am

What if I'm wasted?
I don't know if inebriation affects brain waves, it certainly affects thought. Can I still log in to my computer after I've drank six margaritas?
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- DittoBox, 27 Apr 2006 @ 8:52am
  
  Re: What if I'm wasted?
  Welcome to Windows Vista, $USER! We're sorry but we cannot accurately detect your brain waves right now, it appears that you're not just wasted but totally smashed.
  
  I'll start the coffee maker for you $USER.
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- Jacob, 27 Apr 2006 @ 9:26am
  
  Re: What if I'm wasted?
  Ah ha! This will mark the end of the drunken myspace update!
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Pedren, 27 Apr 2006 @ 8:21am

Tin foil vs Duct-tape
Tin foil wouldn't work it'd have to be duct-tape.
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koan, 27 Apr 2006 @ 8:58am

a 'sneakers' reference?
...in this day and age? huzzah!
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lizard, 27 Apr 2006 @ 9:13am

drunken brainwaves
i've often wished my email client had a breathalyzer plugin -- but this would work.

"error logging in :: that email you're thinking of sending is a really, really bad idea"

(and i second the huzzah to the sneakers reference!)
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Faz, 27 Apr 2006 @ 9:13am

-- I am sorry, you suffer from amnesia. GoodBye ---
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Stiffly Stifferson, 27 Apr 2006 @ 9:42am

Good point about trying not to think about something. It's almost impossible.

Quickly, don't picture your grandmother generously applying feminine itch cream to her dry heap of a vagina.

See? It doesn't work.
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- Adam, 27 Apr 2006 @ 10:01am
  
  Re:
  Truly, you are a bastard without peer.
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- DittoBox, 27 Apr 2006 @ 11:14am
  
  Re:
  Go to Hell you sick slashdot troll.
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Ira Machefsky, 27 Apr 2006 @ 10:09am

This is just silly
This is just a silly idea. Biometric systems using explicit physical attributes, like plam prints, finger prints or voice prints, have a hard enough time working today. If you could recognize thought waves, you'd have long ago solved the traditional biometric authentication problem, which should be good enough even for government work.

Regards,
Ira
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Cedar, 27 Apr 2006 @ 11:16am

In related news: Zombies prove that hacking passwords is as each as Muuuuh *Chomp*
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fishbane, 27 Apr 2006 @ 11:58am

If a machine can detect something, a machine can record and replay it.

Every biometric system has to deal with replay and MITM attacks if it wants to be considered secure.
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Anonymous Coward #2, 27 Apr 2006 @ 12:30pm

Brainwaves
Mine are kind of confused when I'm logging in to my computer... my password might never be the same twice!

I'll just have to live with the fingerprint scanner embedded in my laptop.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Apr 2006 @ 3:29pm

only passwords?
Once we can read brainwaves and translate them into thoughts for passwords, can't we *any* brainwaves and translate them into thoughts?

Mind readers... sounds far fetched when even current biometrics don't work efectively.

I'm donning my tin foil hat anyhow, I don't want the government to learn of my plans to take over the world.
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qw1j1b0, 27 Apr 2006 @ 6:00pm

So in the past the KGB just cut off my thumb to get past biometrics, now they have to cut out my brain... no thanks.
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[m]YSELF, 27 Apr 2006 @ 7:14pm

My password is...
What if I forget what I was thinking about the moment I created the password for the first time?

Think about the new Spywaves and thoughtsloggers... Nice future for the unborn Windows Vista 2008.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Feb 2007 @ 5:33pm

wtf i can't verify my fucking myspace e-mail
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- jessica, 20 Mar 2007 @ 9:03pm
  
  Re: myspace
  i caint add people and sent them as message i really need help please help me i try anything but it wont work it just says VEREFY YOU EMAIL and that is getting on my nerves
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mousie, 13 Apr 2007 @ 10:41am

vertify email
help me vertify my email address
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shiela, 18 Apr 2007 @ 5:32am

vertify email add
how can i vertify help me..
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