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Most popular iPhone passwords leave users at risk of attack
Alissa Fitzpatrick
iPhone users are choosing the same passwords, leaving their phones vulnerable to hackers, it has been claimed
1 in 7 iPhone’s would easily unlock with these common passwords.
Published on Jun 15, 2011
10,000 possible passwords are available for the iPhone, yet '15 per cent of users choose one of ten four-digit combinations,’ according to iPhone app developer Daniel Armitay.
The combinations, which are highly predictable, give hackers a better chance of breaking into user’s iPhone’s and accessing vulnerable information.
1234 is the most popular passcode used, followed by 0000, 2580, 1111, 5555, 5683, 0852, 2222, 1212, 1998.
These 10 codes represent 15 per cent of all passcodes in use by current iPhone users. Nearly 10 per cent of users use 1234 or 0000.
Customers typically choose these passwords because they are either identical digits, repetitive, or move in a line up/down the iPhone, such as 2580 and 0852 (see below). The least obvious pattern is 5683, however, those numbers spell out LOVE.
Some of these passwords also mimic the most common internet passwords. Like the iPhone, the most common internet password is 1234. ‘iloveyou’ is also another frequently used password.
Armitay has developed several apps, one being the Big Brother Camera Security app, which he used to track the passwords.
The app developer ‘added some code to record common user passwords. Because Big Brother’s passcode setup screen and lock screen are nearly identical to those of the actual iPhone passcode lock, I figured that the collected information would closely correlate with actual iPhone passcodes.’
204,508 passwords were recorded. Out of those over 8,000 passcodes were 1234. Amitay graphed his results which you can see below.
iPhone users also commonly use dates for passwords, with 1900-2000 in the top 50 of passwords used, and 1980-1989 in the top 100.
Amitay warns that ‘a thief (or just a prankster) could safely try 10 different passcodes on your iPhone without initiating the data wipe. With a 15 per cent success rate, about 1 in 7 iPhone’s would easily unlock - even more if the intruder knows the users’ years of birth, relationships status, etc.
Let's face it, for most of us a few minutes of social network snooping could find this information out.
The iPhone 4 has successfully been jailbroken and hacked in the past, making it very possible for someone to access your iPhone.
Take note iPhone users. Get creative and change your password or risk giving away more information than you want.
