A study into the usability and security implications of text and image based challenge questions in the context of online examination

摘要

This research provides interesting hints for researchers and educational institutions concerned with the security of online learning environments. The authors tackle the problem of impersonation via challenge questions, to find an approach that combines good usability and high security. The potential of image-based challenge questions is also investigated. The paper reports the results of two studies. In the first study, data to evaluate usability (efficiency, effectiveness, and memorability) was collected in a real online course of 70 students. In the second study, a simulation was conducted in which participants attempted impersonation.