British study shows

How (in)secure your PIN code is

A British study has investigated which PIN codes are secure and which are less secure.(Bild: vstroh/Krone Kreativ)

Is your PIN secure? A study reveals the most secure ones - and makes them completely useless!

How high is the risk of hackers cracking the PIN code of your credit or debit card or gaining access to your online banking? That can be calculated. It depends on how often the four-digit combinations are used. A new cyber security study reveals which five combinations you should avoid and which are - or rather "were" - more secure!

Jake Moore from European cybersecurity company ESET in Dorset, UK, analyzed four-digit secret codes that became public through data theft. Unsurprisingly, the most commonly used PIN was 1234, followed by 1111 and 0000. 1212 and 7777 should also be avoided.

Tip: Do not use personal data
Many users have numbers that are easy to guess, such as date of birth or wedding date. Good hackers can crack a third of the four-digit passcodes in 61 guess attempts. If you give them 426 chances, they gain access to 50 percent of the accounts. Even with just five attempts, the probability is 20 percent. Less frequently used and therefore more secure combinations are 8557, 8438, 9539, 7063 and 6827 - at least until they were revealed. Moore's tip: "Change combinations often and don't use personal details."