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by segfaultbuserr 1050 days ago
Some places use touchscreen keypads for PIN entry exactly for this reason: to allow randomization, e.g. for opening a locked door, or for authorizing a transaction.
2 comments

That is interesting.

I’m sure it depends on the application to some extent. I can type my pin in without looking at all, so I can cover it up while doing it. If I had to hunt and peck, it’d easier for an onlooker to observe my slower motions I think.

But if I used the same machine often enough to produce wear specific to me, this randomization would be really useful.

I use a randomized PIN pad on my phone, and I've gotten quite used to it. I can enter my PIN almost as fast as I could on an unscrambled pad; it's definitely not hunting and pecking.
Do they randomize the key locations though?

Otherwise, you leave behind grease where your fingers touched

Yes, the layout is randomized every time you use it.