ESET: A 26% of mobile phones are hacked by hackers with great ease because PIN that users use to lock their devices are very simple and common combinations of numbers, which cybercriminals can guess with only a few attempts.
Citing relevant SANS research InstituteThe ESET encourages users to carefully choose the PIN they use to unlock their device, so if they are stolen or lost, hackers will not be able to break it.
According to the results of the survey, the 20 most common codes PIN That are used is (in random order): 0000, 1004, 1010, 1111, 1122, 1212, 1234, 1313, 2000, 2001, 2222, 4444, 3333, 4321, 5555, 6666, 6969, 7777, 8888 and 9999.
Using so simple PIN is mainly due to the need for users to use an easy-to-use code, especially when they need to import 50, maybe 100 times a day to unlock their mobile phone.
Many times, they can use numbers that mean something like, for example, birthday. This is a very dangerous practice, according to Jake Moore, Its Security Specialist ESET, as cybercriminals can search for users in open sources (for example, onyin the social medium) and based on the personal information they will find, test various possible codes.
Even with the introduction of larger codes, Face ID ή touch ID, people rarely change their PIN regularly and usually complain with just one code they use on each device.
At the same time, many users mistakenly believe that their Face ID or Touch ID features protect them enough to avoid having a difficult PIN. "Remember there is a default code for unlocking the device, and a hacker would rather fiddle with that code than devise ways to fool the face or fingerprint reader features", notes the Jake Moore.
According to ESET, the best practice for a secure mobile is for users to use unique, complex long-length passwords, even alphanumeric passwords where available , combined with direct activation of Face ID/Touch ID to speed up registration.
Users should also be very careful with their environment when they import it PIN, especially in places with a lot of people, such as e.g. on public transport. Finally, after the creation backups of their device, it is suggested that they add an extra layer of security by enabling the “Find my iPhone"For iOS devices or"Find My Device»On Android devices.
In case of theft, this feature allows important data to be wiped remotely, so even if the device is never found, at least cybercriminals won't be able to access in personal information.
