A Secure Password Is Step 1 In Keeping Accounts Secure

IT professionals and cybersecurity experts agree that one of the most important IT practices businesses should prioritize is the implementation of strong, unique passwords. However, businesses and employees continue to ignore this advice despite mounting evidence that weak passwords are a top cause of potentially devastating cybersecurity breaches. Users claim that it’s difficult to remember strong, unique passwords and often get frustrated by system and software requirements to change passwords regularly.

Unfortunately, hackers and their advanced computer programs are adept at guessing passwords, meaning that the all-too-common practice of using weak passwords could leave your organization’s data wildly unprotected even if you use antivirus software and other cybersecurity measures. Once access is gained to one device, intruders can quickly gain access to entire systems, causing data breaches, viruses, and system outages. In a world driven by technology, can your business afford the financial strain, client backlash, and systemic damage caused by a weak password?

Here, we’ll discuss the dangers behind weak passwords, how to create stronger passwords, and other cybersecurity best practices to help keep your business safe.

Importance of a Strong Password

How many devices do you own that require a password? From desktop computers, to tablets, to phones, to home security cameras, nearly everyone has a wide array of technology-based devices that they utilize passwords for. How many applications or websites do you use on a daily basis that require a password to login? Whether checking your work email, shopping online, or scrolling social media, most people enter passwords into multiple applications every single day. That said, it’s essential for people to understand that any application, website, or device for which a password is used can serve as a gateway for hackers to gain access to your systems and any device that connects to the internet is sharing information. This means that a single weak password can grant hackers entry to the technology corridor that connects all of your devices, websites, systems, and applications. Think of it as a disease spreading from one part of the system to another – unless there’s a clear barrier to stop the infection before it starts, things can get out of hand more quickly that you might realize.

That’s why it’s so important for users of any device or application to have strong, unique passwords for everything. Whether we’re talking technology used at home or devices and applications for business use, simply using a strong password can be enough of a deterrent for a hacker to choose another target. Strong passwords are a free and easy way to protect your business’s financial data, client information, and technology assets.

How to Create a Strong Password

There are specific best practices that every user should follow when creating their passwords to ensure they are unique and strong. These include:

Passwords should be long and complex by having more than eleven characters and including a variety of different character combinations.
Passwords should include special characters such as commas, exclamation points, question marks, parentheses, asterisks, etc.
Password should include a combination of lower-case letters, upper-case letters, and numbers.
Password should be easy to remember but hard to guess. Users can do this by using a word or phrase that is meaningful to them and type it using alternating upper-case and lower-case letters as well as symbols. For example, if your chosen word is “Security” you might type it as “S3cUr1tY!!” You can also choose a phrase like “How are you doing today” and type it using the first letter of each word in the phrase like “HaYD2d4y!!”
For devices with pin numbers or passcodes, avoid using common and guessable dates such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Once you’ve created your password, it’s important to not write your password down or keep it in a digital document in any place that can be accessed by someone other than yourself. Many users choose to either keep their passwords written on a piece of paper in a locked and secure safe or within a proven secure application such as Dashlane. This helps to remember difficult passwords while also maintaining good security.

Other Important Security Measures

Although having strong and unique passwords are an essential aspect of cybersecurity, there are additional steps that business owners should take to protect their devices and technology data. Some of these steps are:

Never sharing passwords.
Not using the same password for multiple devices and applications.
Only providing information to websites that are encrypted. Check the web address for https at the beginning to ensure encryption.
Utilizing security software and updating it regularly.
Having an IT consultation firm assess your business’s current state of cybersecurity and making suggested updates and changes as advised.

The Importance Of Using Secure Passwords

Importance of a Strong Password

How to Create a Strong Password

Other Important Security Measures

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