John Shepherd-Barron’s Wife Inspired the 4-Digit ATM PIN: The Surprising Reason Revealed
Ajab gajab
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News18 Punjabi•03/12/2025
John Shepherd-Barron’s Wife Inspired the 4-Digit ATM PIN: The Surprising Reason Revealed
- •ATM cards use a 4-digit PIN for convenience and ease of memory.
- •John Shepherd-Barron, the inventor of the ATM, initially designed it to use a 6-digit PIN.
- •Shepherd-Barron's wife could only remember a 4-digit PIN, leading to the adoption of 4-digit PINs.
- •Despite being less secure than 6-digit PINs, 4-digit PINs are widely used for their practicality.
- •Some countries and banks, including some in India, still use 6-digit PINs for added security.
Why it matters: The 4-digit PIN standard impacts ATM security and user convenience worldwide.
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