
And the same thing is valid for the third and fourth digits. Since there's no restriction in place for the second digit that would limit his choices (e.g., if you couldn't create a PIN with repeated numbers), there are also ten possibilities. Well, the first digit of your PIN can be any number between 0 and 9, so there are ten possibilities in total. What are the chances that he guesses your password correctly, by pure chance? (Let's also assume the bank won't freeze your credit card after five or so failed attempts, as it's common practice today.)Īnd like most banks, let's assume your bank requires a 4-digit PIN to let you withdraw money from an ATM. Let's say an attacker stole your credit card without you noticing and wants to withdraw money from your bank account.
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Users are then left with two problems: an insecure password and a false sense of security since the password looks complicated to them, but it's easy for a computer to crack.īy helping you understand how exactly passwords are cracked and the math behind it, you will be in a better position to create or instruct other people on how to create good passwords. Even after many cries from the cybersecurity community, many people still believe swapping letters for a numerical equivalent ("l33t" speak) makes their password harder to crack (i.e., when the adversary has possession of a database of hashed passwords - an offline attack), when in fact it does nothing. This happens, in part, because most people don't know how their passwords are actually exploited. Evidence suggests that people are annoyed when such arbitrary measures are put in place and end up choosing weaker passwords. You've probably stumbled onto websites that have password requirements: they might require a minimum number of characters, or perhaps a number and a symbol.īut does that really make a better password?ĭespite their best intentions, policies lead people to choose horrible passwords.
