Pattern Locks Are Unsafe: Secure Your Nokia C12 Phone Now with These Tips

Pattern locks have been available for about as long as people can remember, and they have been hugely popular with people thanks to how easy it is to simply swipe your screen and unlock your smartphone, as against, say, keying in the 4-digit PIN/ 6-digit PIN. However, pattern locks are easy to crack, and today, we bring you all you want to know about pattern locks and how to create a hard pattern lock. Further to this, we also tell you how to move beyond pattern locks and what to do in case you forgot the hard pattern lock you just set and are unable to unlock your smartphone.

Part 1: What You Need to Know About Pattern Locks

Pattern lock is an Android-only feature that makes it easy for users to have a modicum of security on their smartphones. Most users do not prefer using and remembering a PIN to unlock the smartphone. Creating a pattern makes it easier, somehow.

There is a 9-point grid on which you swipe your finger from point to point, in any direction, and when you take your finger off, that pattern you swiped becomes the key to unlock your smartphone.

Pattern locks were exceedingly common only a few years ago, and they are not recommended for use any longer due to concerns (mentioned later in the article).

1.1: Popularity and Usage

Old habits die hard, or so they say, right? That’s because it is true. We are creatures of habit, and pattern locks have been around for a long, long time. We are accustomed to pattern locks. So, even with even easier technologies such as fingerprint recognition and face recognition, we tend to gravitate towards the familiar old pattern lock.

The only thing is, there is a reason why pattern locks are no longer the preferred option to use for unlocking your smartphones. As it happens, that reason is security, and it can be very easy for humans to take a swipe (pardon the pun) at your pattern lock. And guess what? The research conducted suggests that they would get it right with an unsettling accuracy.

1.2: Advantages and Drawbacks

With on-the-go lifestyles, our smartphones have become indispensable and contain some of the most sensitive aspects of our lives – IDs, credit and debit cards in digital wallets, photo and video memories, business documents – you name it, the smartphones have it, on the go. This has opened our lives up to the public at large, and if someone steals our smartphone or, best case, finds it, the only barrier preventing them from being privy to all that wealth of our sensitive information is that screen lock – the pattern lock that we set on our smartphones. That’s it – the single pattern lock stands between malicious actors and our data. You might be beginning to realize just how crazy this is.

Advantages of Pattern Locks

There are two advantages to using pattern locks. One, they are better than nothing. Two, they are easy to use. And that’s about it. There is no third advantage to pattern locks. We might think we set a hard pattern lock that nobody could guess, but, as research proves, we might be thinking too low of human prowess.

Disadvantages of Pattern Locks

Security, or rather, the lack of it, is the lone disadvantage of using a pattern lock. What good is a pattern lock that can be easily deciphered? Sure, they are easy to use, and they are better than not having anything, but would you really want to protect your life’s data with something that could be, as researchers found out, breached in under 5 attempts? We don’t think you do!

The research found that 64% of test subjects who were shown videos of people unlocking their phones could correctly guess a 6-point pattern lock, that too after viewing the video only once! That number shot up to 80% if they were allowed to see the video again. That is simply astounding and a nightmare for security. When it comes to PINs, only 11% could guess a 6-digit PIN after viewing the unlocking video once, and that number shot up to 27% when they could see the video two times.

Part 2: How To Create a Hard Pattern Lock (Including Remembering Complex Patterns)

Now, if you must continue using a pattern lock, let’s help you know how to create a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy to decipher as easy pattern locks. For that, you should know how people use pattern locks, the kind of pattern locks they create, and the ones that are the most commonly used pattern locks. That way, you can avoid those fallacies and create a hard pattern lock for your smartphone.

2.1: The Pattern Locks People Use Most Commonly

Marte Loge, an M.Sc. Computer Science student, gave a presentation on pattern locks at DEFCON 23 and made a bold claim. She said, “Tell me who you are, and I will tell you your lock pattern.”

She presented the following statistics to support her claim:

• - In her research, she found that 77% of people started with one of the 4 corners when creating a pattern lock.
• - 44% of people started with the top-left dot and 15% with the top-right, while the bottom-left was preferred by 14% of her test subjects.
• - People set 5-point pattern locks on average, and most users were content with a 4-point pattern.

These are some of the most common pattern locks people create:

• - patterns in the shapes of alphabets,
• - patterns in the shapes of numerals,
• - patterns in any other simple shape, such as square, triangle, star, etc.

To understand how this is a security nightmare, the possible combinations for a 4-point pattern are a measly 1624, whereas by adding just 1 more point to the pattern and creating a 5-point pattern, the number of possible combinations becomes 7152, an increase of 5528 combinations. In stark contrast, creating a 9-point pattern would give you over 140,000 possible combinations!

2.2: How to Create a Hard Pattern Lock

Knowing what most people do when creating a pattern lock, it becomes easy to avoid those mistakes and instead create a hard pattern lock for oneself.

• - Do not start creating a pattern lock from any of the 4 corners of the grid.
• - Never use your first initial as your pattern lock.
• - Never use the shape of a numeral as your pattern lock.
• - Use all 9 points on the grid to create your pattern lock, and contrary to popular belief, you can go over the connecting lines several times, creating a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy for people to decipher!

Part 3: Going Beyond Pattern Locks

You might think that now that you have set a hard pattern lock, you are good to go. Hardly. Technology has evolved, so have methods to break into your device.

Step 1: Set a 6-digit PIN

The minimum you should do today is set a 6-digit PIN to unlock your phone. Consider this a necessary investment into the safety of your data residing on your smartphone.

Step 2: Use Fingerprint Recognition (or Face Recognition on Apple Devices)

All modern smartphones released over the last decade have come with fingerprint recognition. Using fingerprint recognition requires you to set a 6-digit PIN and then set a fingerprint to unlock your device. You can set additional fingerprints, too.

This way, your device is the most secure it can be today. In case your fingerprint is not recognized for any reason, the phone falls back on the 6-digit PIN that you can enter and unlock your phone.

While face recognition is available on both Android and Apple devices, it is truly secure only on Apple devices. This is why Apple iPhones released after the iPhone X in 2017 have come only with Face ID. They fall back on a minimum 6-digit PIN (called Passcode in Apple world) to unlock in case the face does not get recognized in the first attempt.

Part 4: How To Unlock Phone If Hard Pattern Lock Forgotten

Just in case you set a hard pattern lock and promptly forgot that abstruse pattern you just set, we have a tool for you to quickly unlock your phone in case of a forgotten hard pattern lock: Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Remove the Hard Pattern Lock on Your Nokia C12 If You Forgot!

• Remove all Android screen locks (PIN/pattern/fingerprints/face ID) in minutes.
• Bypass the FRP lock of Samsung without a PIN or Google account.
• Everyone can handle the lock screen without any tech knowledge.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,671 people have downloaded it

Download the latest version of Dr.Fone from the Wondershare website and launch the app.

Step 1: Click Android under Toolbox > Screen Unlock.

Step 2: Click Unlock Android Screen.

Step 3: Select your device manufacturer.

Step 4: Prepare your device to unlock the screen.

When the greyed Next button becomes available, click it and wait for your device to be unlocked.

All data on the Nokia C12 device is wiped under this method. Select Samsung phones may be unlocked without data loss. Check this list for devices that may be unlocked without data loss.

Closing Words

Whether it is an easy pattern lock or a hard pattern lock, the fact is that pattern locks are antiquated and a security nightmare. A minimum 6-digit PIN must be used, and using fingerprint recognition is the preferred way to go for Android devices. Using fingerprint recognition will require that users create a 6-digit PIN. On Apple devices launched after 2017, there is Face ID, Apple’s marketing term for face recognition. If you did indeed still set a hard pattern lock, only to promptly forget it, use Wondershare Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (Android) to seamlessly unlock your phone right now.

Mastering Lock Screen Settings: How to Enable and Disable on Nokia C12

In the modern world, the use of smartphones has become such a common trend that everyone would feel abnormal if they don’t have a smartphone of their own. So big the demand is that all IT companies are trying their best to introduce as well as innovate several excellent brands of smartphones. To support the function of smartphones, by far there have been numerous operating systems existed. Among them, Android is one of the most popular as well as trustworthy OS.

Just like any other smartphone, all Android devices have their ways to protect the data stored inside a smartphone from being corrupted or leaked. One of the simplest and most easy-to-use ways is to make use of the lock screen.

The lock screen has proved to be a traditional yet efficient way to help you protect your Android phones. In this article, we will provide you with an informative piece of writing about everything you need to know when it comes to the Android lock screen, and ways to enable and disable it.

If you have spent time searching and looking for features of your Android devices, you will find the process of enabling a lock screen is a piece of cake.

· Step 1: On the main screen of your Android devices, tap on the gear icon - which is the icon representing the Settings menu. Once you have chosen it, you will see a drop-down menu on the screen. In the options provided, tap on the Security bar.

· Step 2: Under the tab whose heading is entitled Screen Security, tap on the first bar in the list called Screen lock.

· Step 3: Once the step is done successfully, Android will give you plenty of choices about ways to lock your Android devices’ screens. Among these ways, select one particular type which you feel is most convenient as well as free-risk. After that, type in your PIN code to confirm the choice and finally activate your lock screen feature as you wish.

Part 2: How to Disable Android Lock Screen

To certain customers, the lock screen can do more harm than good, and they would prefer to disable the screen lock on their Android devices. This process is also an easy one to follow, as long as you still hold good memory of the security code.

· Step 1: On the main screen of your Android devices, tap on the gear icon. It will directly lead you to the Settings menu of the phone. After that, a drop-down menu will appear with several choices and bars. Among them, tap on the Security option to begin your work.

· Step 2: Under the heading called Screen Security heading, you will be shown 3 choices. Tap on the first one, which is entitled Screen lock.

· Step 3: Once you have done the previous step, a brand new screen will appear and then you will be asked to fill in your PIN code. This is a step that helps guarantee that you are the true owner of the Android device.

Step 4: As soon as you have confirmed the right PIN code in the bar provided, you will then be presented to the next drop-down menu. A similar screen will appear which shows you plenty of choices. Tap on the top of that list, which is a bar called None.

Step 5: In the end, you have successfully disabled the screen lock on your Android devices. You are now capable of using it without any hesitation about the screen lock.

Part 3: Common Problems of Disabling Lock Screen

The process to disable the screen lock on Android may seem easy to handle as well as straightforward to several customers, but there are still some annoying problems that users have to deal with while trying to disable the lock screen.

What are the top 2 common problems?

Below are the two most common problems faced by Android users during their efforts to disable the feature of screen lock.

1. In the Screen Security choice, the None bar can not be chosen.

Description of the problem: There is a sentence below it stated: “Disabled by administrators, encryption policy or credential storage”. All the space of the None option is in white and grey.

The solution to this problem is quite simple. Once you have made sure you are suffering from this nasty one, try to follow these below pieces of advice to see if it is capable of giving you a hand.

Step 1: Open the Settings menu from the main screen. Then tap on the Credential Storage. You will see a drop-down menu like the screenshot below.

Step 2: Continue to tap on the Clear Credentials (Remove all certificates) option. Then next click on the OK button. Wait for some seconds until your Android device has finished the process.

Step 3: To make sure that the previous step has been performed successfully, try looking at the bottom of the drop-down menu. If the Clear Credentials (Remove all certificates) are grey out and can not be selected, then you have managed to do it.

Step 4: Now that the problem is solved, you can feel free to turn back to your Screen lock option in the beginning and disable the feature of locking screen Android as usual.

2. You have mistakenly encrypted your SD card. You want to disable the encryption, only to realize that it requires you to set a new screen lock code. But when you come to the Screen lock menu, all the options but Password have been greyed out.

This is pretty weird, but actually, it is one of the most common troubles that many users have complained about. But to your surprise, the solution is very simple and easy. All you have to do is to reset your password, but with a little change. Your password MUST include at least ONE NUMBER in it. Confirm your new password then you will be able to disable the lock screen Android as usual.

Bonus Tip: Remove Android Screen Lock If Forgotten Password/Pattern

As much as the lock screen can protect the personal information on the phone, it can also cause much trouble if you forget the lock screen password or enter the wrong password too many times. So here comes the need for phone unlocking software . One of the best is Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android), which can help us bypass forgotten Android screen locks without any data loss（limited to Samsung and LG series phones）. Other Android brand phones will be wiped out all the data once starting to unlock with Dr.Fone

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Remove 4 Types of Android Screen Lock without Data Loss

• It can remove 4 screen lock types - pattern, PIN, password & fingerprints.
• One-time payment for unlimited use of multiple devices within a specified time period.
• Work for Samsung Galaxy S/Note/Tab series, LG G2/G3/G4, etc.
• Besides, unlocking the screen lock, it also works best to unlock the Samsung FRP lock in devices with Android 5.0 and higher.

3981454 people have downloaded it

Steps on How to Unlock Forgotten Password in Android Phones

Step 1: Launch Dr.Fone and click on Screen Unlock from the primary window.

Step 2: Connect your Android device to the computer via USB cable. The program will recognize the phone directly. Select the phone model or “I can’t find my device model from the list above” to continue.

Step 3: Follow the instruction on the program exactly to set the phone to Download Mode. First, you will need to Power off your Phone. Secondly, Press on Volume Down, Home button, and Power button simultaneously. Thirdly press the Volume up button to navigate until the phone enters Download mode.

Step 4: After you set the phone to Download mode, it will begin to download the recovery package. When the recovery package is downloaded successfully, the lock screen on your Nokia C12 devicewill be removed. You won’t lose any data during the whole process.

The Top 5 Android Apps That Use Fingerprint Sensor to Lock Your Apps On Nokia C12

In addition to passwords and patterns, the fingerprint scanner is one of the hottest features on leading phones of today to lock apps with fingerprint Android. The Fingerprint scanner is the latest fashion in smartphones. You would have observed that with fingerprint scanner going middle-of-the-road, many of the new low-priced phones have also been furnished with this new feature. Although the foremost purpose of the fingerprint scanner is to lock or unlock Your Nokia C12, it can also be utilized to lock and unlock your mobile applications. But not all phones are equipped with this feature. The aforesaid feature is easy to use, quick and smart.

However, if your phone has an inbuilt fingerprint scanner but it does not countenance you to lock the individual apps in your mobile with the fingerprint scanner, you do not need to worry at all! There are some apps that can add this option on your phone. And we are here to suggest you the 5 best options to lock apps with the fingerprint on your Android phones out of the many apps available in the app store! Here we go:

1. AppLock

AppLock is rated as the best one of the apps for locking apps on your Android phone. Once you download this app you will notice that it can lock apps with fingerprint practically on your Android phone. It is also capable of locking photos and videos on your device. The app features are secured when you feel that someone is trying to stealthily look at the mobile while you are unlocking your Android phone. Apart from this, you will also get the option to replace the icon so that you are capable of hiding the app. Now the bonus –You can download and use this app absolutely free for locking the apps on your iPhone or Android apps using the fingerprint.

Features:

• Invisible pattern lock
• A virtual keyboard as security.
• Free application for all iPhone and Android users
• Interactive app features with flexible storage
• Minute versions are updated automatically.

URL for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.domobile.applock&hl=en

Google Rating: 4.4

2. App Locker: Fingerprint & Pin

The subsequent name on the list of best app locks using lock apps with the fingerprint on your Android phone is App Locker. Most of the functions and features of this app are similar to the app lock. This lock apps with fingerprint iPhone have a tricky feature though, want to know? This naughty app, along with the app lock facility (using PIN, password, or fingerprint sensor), can trigger a sham crash screen which will trick the impostors to think that your phone is crashed! Isn’t it interesting? One more thing to interest you – it is also free to download and use.

Features:

• You can lock your galleries, social media apps, message app using a pin.
• The Applock has a feature to take the picture of unknown users if they tried to open up your Android phone.
• You can set up a fake app pattern.
• Possibilities to lock according to time session.
• The lock engine is updated instantly.

URL for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamemalt.applocker&hl=en

Google Rating: 4.5

3. FingerSecurity

The next on the list is FingerSecurity - one of the feature-rich lock apps with fingerprint Android available for free download for your Android phones. You can lock practically any application with the help of FingerSecurity. In addition, it also has the knack to unlock multiple apps on a single go. If you are among those few people who have many locked apps, you are going to like this a lot! But one thing that you cannot negate is that despite the app being locked, the intruders may get a chance to view what is inside through the notifications. But Fingersecurity has an answer to this also – it has added a new notification locking feature!

Features:

• The widgets are equipped with enabling and disable services.
• Settings for the apps are customized.
• Apps are designed to prevent uninstalling.
• Fingerprints are hidden using UI.
• Protection for newly installed apps.

URL for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rickclephas.fingersecurity&hl=en

Google Rating: 4.2

4. Norton Applock

Whenever we have heard the word anti-virus, the first name that comes to our mind is Norton. Norton is a big shot in the field of antivirus apps. Now they have also come up with free lock apps with fingerprint Android. It involves a four digits PIN or password or pattern as its lock system. It also supports icons and photos in conjunction with the apps. The app suggests you with the sanctions list which tells you which apps should be locked. Again the bonus – this is free for download on any Android devices.

Features:

• Gizmo for users who expect a more noninterventionist.
• Take the photo of illegitimate intruders.
• Solid lock apps with fingerprint iPhone.

URL for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.symantec.applock&hl=en

Google Rating: 4.6

5. Perfect Applock

Perfect App Lock is yet another great lock apps with the fingerprint for Android from the basket of app locks. Like other app locks, this one also features the basics. In addition, it has special features including support for locking Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other buckles. It is a tough one to intrude. It tricks the bye passers-by throwing out fake errors and messages to confuse the intruders. This rather makes the thief think that there is a different issue with the phone excluding the app lock. This lock app with fingerprint Android is also available for free. The free and the paid versions offer the exact same features, except that the paid version is free from advertisements.

Features:

• Multi-windows applications are visualized.
• The sensor will support whenever you unlock apps.
• Free updating and monetizing are available.
• No limitations are applicable.

URL for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.morrison.applocklite&hl=en

Google Rating: 4.5

Apart from the aforesaid apps, there are many lock apps with fingerprint locking method for Android phones; however, these have been selected purely based on user ratings. If you are using the iPhone, you can have some app locks based on fingerprint sensors like 1Password, Scanner Pro, LastPass, or Mint to lock apps with the fingerprint on your iPhone.

Do you know of any other apps which can offer similar or even better features?

Do share them with us!!!

Now since we have told you about the best lock app with a fingerprint for Android that can be used to lock your apps and phone using fingerprint sensors, go ahead downloading one for your device. You can understand the pros and cons by yourself and enjoy the benefits of your downloaded app. You have got the list of five of the best fingerprint scanner apps which are available on the play store. If you have any suggestions you are most welcome to contact us.

Do not forget to share your experiences with the apps mentioned in our article. We are waiting for your response!!!

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