I'm F'ing tired of people ignorantly (and willfully) misrepresenting this as if there was no 'security'. The PAL was a per-missile code. Not a launch code.
Modern PALs are really clever. Basically, some minute random amounts of explosives are removed from each block under each detonator, and it only can be compensated by corresponding adjustments of detonators firing timings. The correct timing offsets can be only produced by attaching an external device (PAL controller) to the bomb or warhead or launch console, and entering the arming code, which changes every 24 hours (it decrypts the timing offsets). Without the correct sequence, the device will fail to produce the proper nuclear explosion.
> In reference to Kanye's password choices: "Password" and all zeros are the most secure passwords these days. Not even brute force decryption engines use them. The reasoning: no-one could be that stupid, so why waste processing power looking for them. Kanye is on the leading edge. - John McAfee
John McAfee is truly a crank since 2000. Recently, he also recently endorsed an insecure Bitcoin hardware wallet developed by people who don't know what they're doing and dismissed all security vulnerabilities.
I mean, it's probably going to be a very secure number. From my understanding it's not something you could just have a computer try and bruteforce, and a human being at the weapon system isn't likely to go "gee, I bet it's all zeros!" they're likely to think "well, I can guarantee it's not all zeros!"
