Authenticating users with memorable personal questions

摘要

One embodiment provides a system that verifies a user's identity. The system generates a list including a plurality of items and formulates a substantially large set of security questions base on the plurality of items. The number of questions in the set is significantly larger than a subset of security questions presented to the user to reduce the likelihood of the same questions being asked repeatedly. During account creation, the system presents to the user the subset of questions, and receives and stores a response from the user. At least one question in the subset is selected based on user information that is automatically extracted from devices associated with the user. Subsequently, the system receives a request to reset the user's password and presents the subset of questions to the requester. The system determines whether the requester is the user by comparing the requester's response with the stored user response.