Passwords, a first line of defense against unauthorized access, must be
secure and memorable. However, people often struggle to create secure passwords
they can recall. To address this problem, we design Password inspiration by
eXploring information (PiXi), a novel approach to nudge users towards creating
secure passwords. PiXi is the first of its kind that employs a password
creation nudge to support users in the task of generating a unique secure
password themselves. PiXi prompts users to explore unusual information right
before creating a password, to shake them out of their typical habits and
thought processes, and to inspire them to create unique (and therefore
stronger) passwords. PiXi's design aims to create an engaging, interactive, and
effective nudge to improve secure password creation. We conducted a user study
(N=238) to compare the efficacy of PiXi to typical password creation. Our
findings indicate that PiXi's nudges do influence users' password choices such
that passwords are significantly longer and more secure (less predictable and
guessable).Comment: 16 page