How easy would it be for someone to guess your PIN—you know, the four-digit number you use at ATMs and when you make a purchase with a debit card? Researchers at the data-analysis firm DataGenetics scrutinized a database of 3.4 million stolen passwords and uncovered some startling statistics.
How safe is your PIN really?
Imagine, for example, a hacker’s odds of randomly guessing the correct number is one in 10,000. If he has three tries, odds increase to one in 3,333. If your PIN is your birth date, a year in the 1900s, or an obvious numerical sequence, the odds go way up. So much so, consider it one of the 16 clear signs you’re about to be hacked.
A common PIN is a guessable PIN
The DataGenetics group found that the three most popular combinations—1234, 1111, and 0000—account for close to 20 percent of all four-digit passwords. Every four-digit combination that starts with 19 ranks above the 80th percentile in popularity. Month/day combinations—those in which the first two digits are between 01 and 12 and the last two are between 01 and 31—are also popular. So choosing your birthday or your birth year makes your password significantly easier to guess. Even this infamous hacker got caught with a password of his pet’s name.
Safety in randomness
But there is some hope. For instance, the least popular combination, 8068, appears less than 0.001 percent of the time. Probably because it’s so random—it follows no discernible pattern such as a date or repetition of numbers.
“Statistically, 8068is the safest PIN,” says Tyler Moffitt, senior threat research analyst at Webroot. “Other good numbers are 7637, 6835, and 9629. But that’s mainly because they follow no pattern, isn’t a date, or repetition of numbers, or the column of the keypad (2580).”
DataGenetics discovered that the combination 2580 was the 22nd-most-popular PIN (most likely because those four numbers appear in a single column from top to bottom on a phone or ATM keypad), that people prefer even numbers to odd (2468 ranks higher than 1357), and that far more passwords start with 1 than any other number.
So what can you do?
Unfortunately, because you (and other readers) now know the safest pin out there, you might want to consider something else. Reader’s Digest turned to cybersecurity analyst Jamie Cambell, PhD, and Director of Content at Security Baron, Gabe Turner, for their advice. Here are some savvy suggestions:
- Pick obscure dates like when you had your first kiss or the time you were born.
- Go with a birthday of a close friend, the date of your favorite holiday, or the current time.
Whichever password you go with, change your PIN periodically, especially when you hear about a data breach. “With most banks, you can change the card’s PIN right at the ATM, by selecting ‘Other Options’ or something similar to that. Just be sure to use the same precautions noted above when typing in the new PIN,” saysJason Glassberg, co-founder of Casaba Security.
Now that your PIN is (hopefully) more secure, make sure you know the 10 times swiping your debit card could put your money at risk.
FAQs
Safety in randomness
“Statistically, 8068 is the safest PIN,” says Tyler Moffitt, senior threat research analyst at Webroot. “Other good numbers are 7637, 6835, and 9629. But that's mainly because they follow no pattern, isn't a date, or repetition of numbers, or the column of the keypad (2580).”
What is the most secure PIN or password? ›
Even with the latest hacking software, it could take hundreds of years to crack a complex 12-character password. Using a 16-character password might extend that time to thousands of years. So, if you're looking to protect your device or online account, using a strong password is a better choice than a PIN.
What is the safest 6-digit PIN? ›
A strong 6-Digit PIN should not be predictable and cannot be easily guessed. We highly recommend that users choose a 6-Digit PIN that avoids these common pitfalls, as outlined below: No DOB (forward or backward) e.g. DDMMYY, YYMMDD, MMDDYY.
What is the least guessed 4-digit code? ›
The Least Common PINs
According to the same data, the least commonly used 4-digit PIN is 8068, with just 25 occurrences out of the 3.4 million passwords examined — a minuscule 0.000744% frequency .
What is the most popular 4 digit PIN? ›
The study revealed that '1234' is still the most common PIN, representing nearly 11 percent of the examined entries. Other commonly used PINs include '1111', '0000', '1212', and '7777'.
What is the best PIN to use? ›
A house number can be a good choice, especially if it's an address you won't forget but others are unlikely to know. Your best bet: use the four-digit street address of a childhood friend, a former workplace or another significant place. Numbers with personal significance are easy to remember and hard to guess.
What is the most common 6-digit PIN? ›
On the other hand, the ten most popular six-digit PINs are: 000000; 111111; 112233; 121212; 123123; 123456, 159753; 654321; 666666; and 789456.
What is the hardest 6-digit password? ›
There is no “hardest” 6-digit password. Since you specified digits, there are exactly 1,000,000 possible passwords (from “000000” to “999999”), for about 20 bits of entropy. This is insufficient unless there are other strong methods (such as increasing lock-out times) used to prevent guessing attempts.
How do I choose a safe PIN number? ›
Like most PINs or codes you may have it's best to avoid choosing a PIN that contains repeating characters (4444) or digits in a sequential order (1234). It's also safer to choose a PIN that no one could easily guess or numbers that represent publically researchable information such as DOB, postcode, or similar.
What is a common 4 pin code? ›
Many of our most valuable items, such as debit cards, credit cards, and mobile phones, are unlocked using a four-digit PIN. There are 10,000 possibilities for four-digit combinations, and yet people tend to use the same old favorites, from 1234 to 0000 and 6969.
TIP #1: Don't be obvious.
Never use basic combinations such as “1234” or “9876” and also avoid using numbers such as your house address, birthdays, or anniversaries. TIP #2: Use the word method. PINs are numbers, but it can make it much easier to remember yours if you associate it with a word.
What is every possible 4 digit code? ›
Four digits have 10,000 possibilities, 0000 to 9999, inclusive.
What is a secure PIN number? ›
When it comes to creating a secure PIN, the first tip is to avoid the obvious. Never use basic combinations such as “1234” or “9876” and also avoid using numbers such as your house address, birthdays, or anniversaries. TIP #2: Use the word method.
What is the most secure code? ›
Which is the most secure programming language?
- Python. Python is a programming language that is widely used because of its user-friendliness and legibility. ...
- PHP. Because of its ease of use and wide range of available libraries, PHP can be an excellent choice for web development. ...
- Java. ...
- Ruby on Rails. ...
- C. ...
- JavaScript.
In comparison to a 2-pin connector, 3-pin plugs limit the amount of power that may pass through the circuit. As a result, 3-pin plugs are safer than 2-pin plugs. Reason for how three pin plugs will ensure the safety: A three-pin plug's pin $E$ makes contact with the earth line.
Is 6 digit PIN more secure than 4? ›
According to the researchers, six-digit PINs are no more secure than four-digit ones in terms of protection. Apple's usage of a "blacklist" to keep track of frequent PINs might be improved, and it would make more sense to deploy one on Android devices as well, they found.
