A reliable password-based user authentication scheme for Web-based Human Genome Database System

With the initial completion of Human Genome Project, the post-genomic era is coming. Although the genome map of human has been decoded, the roles that each segment of sequences acts are not totally discovered. On the other hand, with the rapid expansion of sequence information, the issues of data compilation and data storage are increasingly important. Recently, a “Web-based Human Genome Database System” is implemented in National Taiwan University Hospital. The achievement of this system is that it integrates the modules of sequence alignment and data compression on genome. For goals of secure accessing this system over insecure networks, protocols of user authentication become more important. They are able to ensure the security of data transmission and users´ communication. In this paper, a password-based user authentication scheme, because of its convenience, efficiency, and property of simplicity for human memory, is proposed for the system.