The 10 most common 4-digit PIN codes: are you at risk of a cyberattack?

This pin could make you an easy target.

Many people have difficulty selecting and remembering a password, especially when it comes to four-digit PINs.

But if you’re considering defaulting to something as simple as 1-2-3, you might want to rethink making that your password. A new cybersecurity study has revealed the most popular pins used that could lead to your account being hacked.

It’s no surprise that the most used PIN code is “1234,” according to “Information is Beautiful.”

The report analyzes the most and least common four-digit PINs exposed in data breaches using data from Data Genetics.

“People continue to use commonly used PINs or those that are linked to them and (are) easily accessible, such as dates of birth,” Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor, told the Daily Mail.

Other well-known password PINs include “1111”, “0000” and “1212”.

The results revealed that of the 3.4 million PINs examined, many people incorporated simple patterns into their security code.

The most common four-digit pins:

• 1234
• 1111
• 0000
• 1212
• 7777
• 1004
• 2000
• 4444
• 2222
• 6969

The least common four-digit pins:

• 8557
• 8438
• 9539
• 7063
• 6827
• 0859
• 6793
• 0738
• 6835
• 8093

ESET’s cybersecurity expert advises users to avoid simple passcodes, which can make them easy targets for cyberattacks.

“People put themselves at risk by having weak passwords and PINs and often don’t fully understand the threat until they are compromised,” Moore added.

Experienced hackers can guess a third of the 61 passcodes, and if they have 426, they can access 50% of the accounts.

Although there is a limitation on password attempts, a hacker has a 20% chance of gaining access to an account in five attempts.

Moore, a cybersecurity expert, recommends avoiding using birth years, personal information and repeated passwords to protect personal accounts, including social media.

“By using simple or easy-to-guess passcodes, it makes it easier for attackers to target people,” Moore said.

However, users should remember that four-digit passcodes have 10,000 possible combinations, so be careful and strategic about which PIN you choose.

Even with extra precautions, passcodes still have a chance of being hacked. That’s why tech gurus encourage the use of password managers that securely protect personal information.

“Password managers provide all the security when this information can’t always be remembered, and they can also help generate completely random codes so you don’t rely on your birthday,” Moore concluded.