What is Personal identification number?
[[File:PIN-Brief.jpg|thumb|A [[Letter (paper)|letter]] from a bank which contains a PIN number behind a black [[surface]] for [[security]] reasons.]] A '''Personal identification number''' ([[Abbreviation|abbreviated]] as '''PIN''') is a [[number]] that is used to [[wikt:authenticate|authenticate]] a user of a [[system]]. It is used to make sure only certain [[people]] can get, use, or change [[information]] in the system. PINs were created to be used with [[automated teller machine]]s. Once someone inserts a [[bank card]] into the machine, they would be asked to enter a PIN using the [[Push-button|buttons]] on a keypad, and would only be allowed to get their [[money]] if they entered the correct PIN. In a similar way, [[EMV]] technology makes use of PIN numbers to make sure only the person holding a [[credit card]] can make a [[transaction]] with it.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wolff-Mann|first=Ethan|url=http://time.com/money/4057470/emv-chip-pin-credit-cards/|title=7 Things You Should Know About New EMV Chip Credit Cards|website=TIME|language=en|date=2015-10-01|accessdate=2018-03-20}}</ref> Early PIN numbers only consisted of [[digit]]s. Today, some [[bank]]s use PINs made of digits and [[letter|letters]]. There are also many new [[technology|technologies]] being created to be used instead of PINs, such as using [[fingerprint scanner]]s.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Leyden|first=John|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/29/biometric_atm_fraud/|title=Fingerprint tech makes ATMs super secure, say banks. Crims: Bring it on, suckers|date=2017-09-26|website=The Register|accessdate=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== *[https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/personal-identification-number.asp More information about PIN numbers from Investopedia] {{stub}} [[Category:Identifiers]] [[Category:Computing]]