How to Select the Best PIN for Your Security Alarm

Picking a PIN for your security system can be tricky. You want a PIN that is easy to remember, no one wants to forget their number, but it should also be one that no one will simply guess. Many of the ones that are easiest to remember, however, are also extremely easy to guess.

A study was done on the top 10,000 PINs that people use for their security systems, and 1234 was chosen about 11% of the time. That’s hundreds of thousands of PINs that are simply 1234, making it very easy to guess. If the burglar guesses the password, he can simply disable your alarm.

Don’t Use Birth Years for PINs 

Another type that is easy to guess is a year. It can be tempting since years are four numbers and most PINs are four numbers, but these can be almost as easy to guess as 1234. If anyone has seen you or your family members, it isn’t hard to guess how old they are, and that meals their year of birth is an easy PIN to work out.

Even if the burglar has never seen you, pictures on the walls will show your family to the burglar during the break in. Avoid the use of any year that could possibly be guessed. Instead of using birth years, using the digits in a day and month can be easy to remember as well as harder to guess. 

Repeating or Sequential Numbers in PINs are No Good 

Another common way to choose a PIN is to choose numbers that repeat or ones that are sequential. If you go with 5678 instead of 1234, it’s also highly easy to guess. A large number of PINs, including the top five most commonly used PINs, are all repeating or sequential numbers.

They are chosen for the ease of remembering them, but they are also fairly easy to guess. Numbers like 1111 are incredibly simple to guess, and they should never be used as PINs.

Sequential numbers have the same problem. To choose a PIN number for the strongest security, it’s best to choose a random group of four numbers. It’s nearly impossible to guess a random group of numbers. 

If you choose a random, non-sequential, non-repeating group of numbers, you may be afraid that you will forget the number. However, it’s important for your safety and home security to choose a number like this. If you’re afraid of forgetting it, put it in your phone in the Notes app or a similar app so that it’s there if you need it. You can also keep it on a computer that is password protected. You can even write it down and keep it somewhere very safe. Just make sure that it isn’t easily visible to anyone during a burglary or home invasion. 

Don’t Keep Your Default PIN Settings

For a more secure security system, never keep your PIN the same as the default setting. Most of these systems come with a default PIN that is used when setting it up. You are supposed to change the PIN as soon as the installation is completed. It can be easy to forget to do so, however, and that leaves your security PIN number vulnerable to a wide range of people. Be sure that you change your PIN to a group of numbers that is hard to guess as soon as you are able to do so.

Changing Your PIN

It’s also a good idea to change your PIN every year or so. During the year, you have probably given others your PIN several times, so changing it periodically is a smart decision. Using the same PIN year after year also puts wear on the numbers that you type in so that it’s easier to guess your number. 

Home Security Planning with BlueAccess

Everyone worries about break ins, but everyone can worry less when they have a good home security system protecting their home. With BlueAccess here in Georgia, you can get just the pieces you want to create your own security system that you can install yourself. Without installation fees and features that you don’t want, you’ll get the system you want and need.