Seakret
Pattern: fast and easy to remember
Drawing a pattern takes a second, and many people remember a shape better than a password. In Seakret a pattern needs at least six dots, and a longer path with a few turns is harder to guess.
The weakness is that there are far fewer possible patterns than possible passphrases, and a pattern can be watched over your shoulder or guessed from the marks fingers leave on a screen.
Passphrase: slower, but much stronger
A long passphrase, such as several unrelated words, has a huge number of possibilities. It is the better choice for a vault holding anything you would really not want seen.
What slows guessing down
- Seakret turns your pattern or passphrase into a key with Argon2id, a method that is slowed on purpose, so each guess takes time.
- After wrong attempts at the lock screen, the waiting time before the next try grows.
Tips for a stronger pattern
- Use more dots. Seakret needs at least six, and every extra dot makes guessing harder.
- Add turns. A path that changes direction several times is harder to guess than a straight run or a simple shape.
- Do not start in a corner. Many people begin at the top left. Starting elsewhere breaks the habit.
- Avoid letters and obvious shapes. Initials, an L or a Z are the first things someone would try.
- Mind the smudges. Oily fingers can leave a faint trail on the screen. Wipe it now and then, and do not draw it where someone can watch.
Tips for a good passphrase
- Use several unrelated words, such as four or more, instead of one clever word. Length matters more than odd symbols.
- Do not use song lyrics, quotes, or anything about you that is easy to find: pet names, birthdays, your street.
- Pick something you can type quickly on your phone, or you will be tempted to pick something weaker.
- Do not reuse a passphrase from another account.
How to choose
- Everyday vault, low risk: a pattern with six or more dots and a few turns is convenient.
- The vault that matters most: a long passphrase.
- Both: Seakret lets you have several vaults, each with its own pattern or passphrase, so you can match the lock to what is inside.
Whichever you pick, write down your 24-word recovery phrase. It is the way back in if you forget (how it works). More on the design: Seakret security.
What about fingerprint or face unlock?
Seakret lets you add fingerprint or face unlock as an optional shortcut. Android does the matching, and Seakret only learns whether it matched. It is convenient, but a fingerprint or face can be used on you when you do not want it to be. A pattern or passphrase lives in your head, which is why it is the safer lock for the vault that matters most. If you forget it, your recovery phrase gets you back in. For the bigger picture of what the vault protects, see what to do if someone takes your phone.