Passwords help your personal accounts stay private and secure but…
If you’re guilty of reusing, or creating easy passwords, you are opening the door to an account breach. Therefore, you should know what makes a strong password so that you can ensure the maximum security for your sensitive information. Below are some tips on how to keep your passwords secure and examples of good and bad passwords.
Avoid consecutive keyboard combinations— such as qwerty or asdfg. Don’t use dictionary words, slang terms, common misspellings, or words spelled backward. Hackers use what we call dictionary attacks to crack these passwords. These hacks rely on software that automatically plugs common words into password fields. Password cracking becomes almost effortless with a tool like John the Ripper or similar programs.
Bad: When 32 million passwords were exposed in a breach last year, almost 1% of victims were using “123456.” The next most popular password was “12345.” Other common choices are “111111,” “princess,” “qwerty,” “abc123” and “passw0rd123”. Sadly, if you use any of these passwords, you are among those who are most vulnerable to a breach.
Good: “Theyearofthepasswords2019!” Use an uncommon phrase that only you will remember. A quote from a movie or lyrics to a song. Do not share this password with anyone to ensure it is in fact SECURE.
Tip for business owner: If you are a business owner, you should require your staff to create complex passwords that must be changed regularly (no sticky notes with IDs and passwords on their desk or monitor). You might also encourage the use of a password retention tool Roboform. This helps with managing multiple passwords.
You must protect yourself from social engineering and phishing attacks. For the most part, you can do this just by using your good judgment. For starters, don’t open emails from unknown, untrusted sources. A good rule of thumb is if you see an email that looks like it’s from someone (or some company) with whom you are familiar but still seems suspicious, give them a call rather than responding via email. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Taking a proactive approach and implementing security awareness as part of your company culture, will always be the best way to prevent any type of account breach. Creating a strong password is just one way to do that.
Still have questions about password security? contact Kobargo today to arrange a no-obligation consultation and assessment of your IT system security. Let’s discuss ways to safeguard your organization in today’s digital world. Our team of IT professionals will work with you to increase productivity, decrease downtime and keep your customers—and employees—safe and happy.
For More Information Check Out Our Latest Video On Password Protection (July 2019) Available Today!
