From the user’s aspect, the Confident KillSwitch incorporates the use of image-based secret categories rather than specific password reminder questions. When a user first registers with a Web site, he chooses categories of simple images, such as cats and trees. When logging into the site, pictures from these categories show up on the screen, and the user picks the ones that correspond with his secret categories in order to be authenticated into the system.

From the Web site side, a merchant or service that uses Confident KillSwitch also has users choose “no pass” categories. If a hacker attempts to log in with the user’s account and guesses a “no pass” category to authenticate, the system can detect the fraud and automatically lock down the account. Behind the scenes, the technology also gathers information about the attacker to help the merchant fight the invasion.

Confident KillSwitch is cloud-based and can be integrated with any of Confident’s image-based authentication products for Web sites, mobile apps and mobile devices.