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Study Shows Unlocking iPhone Passcodes as Easy as 1-2-3-4

June 14, 2011

Study Shows Unlocking iPhone Passcodes as Easy as 1-2-3-4

By Tammy Wolf
TMCnet Web Editor


If you think your “1234” password is going to protect your beloved iPhone (News - Alert) from being hacked, think again. According to a recent study, 15 percent of iPhone users have one of the 10 most popular passcodes, with 1234 making up a majority of that 15 percent.

App developer Daniel Amitay, who recorded anonymous passcode data from a sample size of 204,508 iPhone consumers using a Big Brother Camera Security app, 0000, explained on his blog that the collected information from Big Brother’s passcode setup screen and local screen would closely correlate with users’ actual iPhone passcodes.

The results? Well, 0000, along with 1234, rank at the top of the most popular codes list. Meanwhile, other users are showing their “love” for the iPhone by using digits 5683, which spell out “LOVE.” Whether these users truly love their phones by using such a common passcode is to be determined, of course.

Other passcodes include an easy 1111; 5555; 1212; 2222; and 2580, the middle column of digits on a keypad.

Amitay also discovered that the years 1990 to 2000 were all the in top 50 passcodes, while 1980 to 1989 fell into the top 100. This, said Amitay, could be attributed to users setting their passcodes according to their birth or graduation year.

"With a 15 percent success rate, about 1 in 7 iPhones would easily unlock -- even more if the intruder knows the user's years of birth, relationship status, etc.,” Amitay wrote in his blog.

It’s safe to say if your iPhone passcode is listed here, it would be smart to make a dash to change it to something a bit more incognito. MSNBC.com suggests picking a passcode that deviates from these patterns or using your iPhone’s settings to toggle a more original passcode.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.


Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell

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