Double Authentication Model using Smartphones to Enhance Student on-Campus Network Access

Abstract

Computers are widely used by all universities to provide network access to students. Therefore, the securities of these computers play a major role in protecting the network. In light of that, a strong access control is required to ensure that sensitive information will only be accessed through firm authentication mechanism. Smartphones are widely used by students, and can be employed to further enhance student authentication by storing partial access information on the Smartphone. And while students should not leave their computer systems unattended, some do. Therefore, daily network access requires that computer unit to be configured in a way that includes password authentication and an access code stored on a device (the smartphone) which needs to be presented by the user during the authentication process. It is a fact that software and hardware may fail to fully secure and protect systems, but user's negligence to safeguard their systems by logging out of the computer unit before moving away is far more serious security issue. The system being developed in this research will lock the computer unit once the student moves away from that computer unit and loosing communication with the smartphone.