If you are using these PIN numbers on your iOS or Android phone, change them immediately
PINs are important. You probably have a four-digit PIN to guard access to your phone, your bank account, and other online portals that you want to keep others away from. The problem, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), is that the PINs most used are so popular that someone might be able to break into a phone they found or stole. ABC went to website "Have I Been Pwned" and analyzed 29 million PIN codes. What they found is pretty disturbing.
The most popular four-digit PIN is 1234 and is used as a code by one out of every ten of the millions of codes that ABC looked at. The second most popular PIN is 0000 followed closely by 1111. People are lazy and don't want to have to tax their brains to remember a PIN so they will repeat the same number. The problem is, the bad guys might be able to figure this out and break into a device. PINs in the top ten of usage include 1212 (which repeats 12 twice) and 4444.
Another popular series of PINs uses the device owner's year of birth which explains why 1986 is a very popular PIN. Someone born that year is 38-39 years old. Also in the top 20 of PINs used is 2004 which would include those who turned or are turning 21 this year.
In countries outside the U.S., the Date/Month format is more popular than the Month/Date format used in America. Thus, special days that can be converted into four-digit PINs should also be avoided such as 2512 (December 25th-Christmas). You should also avoid 1225.
Some popular four-digit PINs are popular because those who use it think that they are clever. For example, 1342 is the most popular code; it is simply a play on 1234. You might wonder why 2580 is in the top 40. If you can't figure out why that combination is so popular, look at the dial pad on your phone. See it now? It's the four numbers straight down starting with the number two.
The math reveals the problem. Let's say someone steals a phone and has ten chances to guess before getting locked out or having the data automatically wiped. If the guesses are limited to the 50 most popular PINs, the chance of guessing the correct PIN can be as high as 15% according to Gemini. I don't know about you, but that is a concerning figure if you ask me.
To reduce those odds, stay away from using the 50 most popular four-digit PINs:
1234-Popularity 9.0% 1111-Popularity 1.6% 0000-Popularity 1.1% 1342-Popularity 0.6% 1212-Popularity 0.4% 2222-Popularity 0.3% 4444-Popularity 0.3% 1122-Popularity 0.3% 1986-Popularity 0.3% 2020-Popularity 0.3% 7777-Popularity 0.3% 5555-Popularity 0.3% 1989-Popularity 0.3% 9999-Popularity 0.2% 6969-Popularity 0.2% 2004-Popularity 0.2% 1010-Popularity 0.2% 4321-Popularity 0.2% 6666-Popularity 0.2% 1984-Popularity 0.2% 1987-Popularity 0.2% 1985-Popularity 0.2% 8888-Popularity 0.2% 2000-Popularity 0.2% 1980-Popularity 0.2% 1988-Popularity 0.2% 1982-Popularity 0.2% 2580-Popularity 0.2% 1313-Popularity 0.2% 1990-Popularity 0.2% 1991 Popularity-0.2% 1983-Popularity 0.2% 1978-Popularity 0.2% 1979-Popularity 0.2% 1995-Popularity 0.2% 1994-Popularity 0.2% 1977-Popularity 0.2% 1981-Popularity 0.2% 3333-Popularity 0.2% 1992-Popularity 0.2% 1975-Popularity 0.2% 2005-Popularity 0.2% 1993-Popularity 0.2% 1976-Popularity 0.2% 1996-Popularity 0.2% 2002-Popularity 0.2% 1973-Popularity 0.2% 2468-Popularity 0.2% 1998-Popularity 0.1% 1974-Popularity 0.1%
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