Android: stop using the unlock pattern!

He wakes up and picks up his cell phone from the bedside table, his eyes still full of sleep. When the lock screen appears, she draws her pattern without thinking. It’s quick, easy and lets you scroll through notifications. But how secure is this unlock pattern to keep prying eyes away?

Android: stop using the unlock pattern!

Most people use common shapes or letters

When we set up a blocking pattern, we naturally go for what is familiar to us. It’s easy to connect the dots to form letters like b, C, d, D, e, g, G, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, U, W and Z, or numbers like 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9. Even shapes like a square or triangle seem to be good choices. They’re easy to memorize, and let’s be honest, who wants to waste time remembering a complex pattern just to check a notification?

However, the problem is that if it’s easy for you, it’s also easy for someone else to guess. Especially if others know you well enough to predict that you would choose letters from your name or your birthday number. Additionally, most people tend to create patterns that start in the upper left corner and move from left to right or top to bottom. This makes guessing even easier.

So, if your blocking pattern is similar to what we say above, it might be time to change.

If your phone falls into the wrong hands, these are the patterns that will probably be tried first. So, how about changing things up a little? Opt for something a little more complex – think overlaps, cuts or movements that are repeated in areas that have already been traced. It doesn’t have to be a puzzle, but the more unique and complex it is, the better your chances of keeping your lock pattern a secret. It’s just some food for thought for the next time you’re setting up a pattern lock.

Every time you move your finger across the screen to unlock your phone, it leaves a trail of oily residue or “smudges”. Usually, they’re just a nuisance that makes the screen look dirty. But in the wrong hands, these smudges can reveal your unlock pattern.

Imagine this: leave your cell phone unsupervised in a cafe for a moment. An experienced person picks it up, turns it towards a light and voila – the stains on your fingers become visible, revealing your unlock pattern.

According to a study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, a smudge attack can successfully identify blocking patterns in 68% of cases under ideal conditions. The study also found that more complex patterns, with more loops and hooks, actually left greater contrast and were sometimes easier to recognize than simpler patterns in spot photographs, which is quite surprising. .

Other people can easily spy on your pattern

Imagine you are in a public place, casually unlocking your phone. Little do you know that someone is nearby looking at your screen. With a quick glance over your shoulder, they can observe and memorize the pattern you drew.

The beauty and curse of pattern locks lies in their simplicity and visual nature. They are easy to remember, even from a distance or with just a fleeting glance. So anyone who can glimpse your screen when you unlock your phone can potentially learn your pattern.

But do not worry; There is a simple trick to make you less vulnerable to this problem in public areas. Simply use your device at an angle that protects your screen from prying eyes.

There are better alternatives to pattern locks

Pattern locks may seem like an easy option, but they don’t offer much protection. If you really want to lock your Android, there are much better alternatives.

For starters, setting a PIN or password on your phone works well. Of course, coming up with a long string of numbers, letters, and symbols can be a headache, but this random jumble also makes it very difficult for anyone else to crack your code. If remembering a complex password seems like too much work, you can opt for biometric options if your phone has the necessary hardware. Just let the phone read your face or finger and that’s it, it’s unlocked.

And don’t forget all the extra security settings you can enable, like Lockdown Mode to keep the bad guys out. The goal here is to keep your phone securely locked.