A 4-digit pin code is used with normal bank cards, but is this safe? If someone finds a card, they can’t just use a brute force attack to find the pin code. If you enter your pin code in online banking, it takes less than 1 second to check your pin code. Less than 1 second *10 000 PIN code combinations is less than 10 000 seconds or less than 167 minutes. And this is only in case it is the very last PIN they need to check. If one were to use a normal computer for this instead of the tray used for online banking, higher speeds could be achieved and the time could be reduced in such a way that your card could never be blocked in time. Is there something I misunderstood or are 4-digit codes really not safe?
Answer
Best,
A code or password is never conclusive. As you rightly point out, the number of combinations determines how often, in the worst case, you have to try to find the right one.
The probability of guessing correctly is 1/10000, but the number of attempts is usually limited to 3. The probability of guessing correctly is then 1/3333. If you lose cash, the chance of losing it is 100%. This is 0.03% if the bank card is lost. So you still have to look after your belongings (bank card, mobile phone, etc.). Security is much stricter for access to portals that are publicly accessible (eg PC banking). There you do not get access with the pin code, but with a more complex system of access codes.
The banks also build in a transaction limit (you can only spend a limited amount per day/week). This limits the damage.
You should also not lose sight of the fact that electronic transactions are logged. In this way, a perpetrator can be tracked down more easily.
Conclusion: a bank card (credit card) is also money. It is something secure, but you can never rule out abuse. Watch your stuff.
Answered by
ing Marc Roggemans
microcontrollers
http://www.thomasmore.be
.