Many of us open our smartphones these days with a fingerprint or a face scan. But if those fail, or we don’t want to use bio authentication, we rely on phone passcodes. While a four-digit code is convenient to enter, it’s not as secure as a longer code. Here’s why.
The answer to this security conundrum lies in simple math. A four-digit code contains 10,000 possible combinations, ranging from 0000 through 9999. That might sound like a lot, but consider this — add just two more numbers — forming a a six-digit passcode — and that number jumps to 100,000 possible combinations (000000 through 999999).
By just taking the extra millisecond to enter two more numbers when unlocking your iPhone or Android, you add an additional 90,000 combinations between your information and a would-be intruder. That’s not a bad trade.
But, please, whatever you do, don’t make your passcode all zeros (or 123456, for that matter).
