Use Complex Patterns, Avoid Letters for Safer Android Lock Patterns
Graphical lock on Android may be an easier way to lock your phone. However, some patterns, such as a PIN or password, are easier to guess than others. To stay safe, avoid letter-like shapes and stick to patterns that use five or more of the nine knots.
Security researcher Marthe Løge of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology explains how not all templates are created equal. When analyzing 4000 patterns created by the subjects, most of the patterns used only four or five of the nine nodes. However, the fewer nodes you use, the fewer possible combinations and the easier it is to guess them. She also found that 10% of the designs created were shaped like an alphabet letter, usually after the initials of a spouse or child.
Of course, some of these findings are only interesting from a mathematical and security research point of view. For example, if someone steals your phone, they have no idea how many nodes you were using, so the number of potential opportunities really has nothing to do with pure guesswork. However, he also emphasizes that some patterns are more obvious than others. For example, using a letter-shaped pattern is not much better than using PIN 1234. The more complex your pattern, while avoiding common patterns such as letters, the more difficult it will be to guess the path to it. Your phone number. Check out the original link for more details on what is a strong pattern.
New Data Reveals Amazing Predictability Of Android Lock Patterns | Ars Technica