Happy World Password Day!
Did you know that the first Thursday in May is World Password Day? To celebrate this iconic day in the otherwise eventful world of IT we wanted to share some wisdom with our audience.
So much can hinge on a password, this small string of characters can be the only thing keeping the contents of your email inbox private, and your valuable intellectual property from falling into the wrong hands.
When the entirety of a company’s vital data can be placed in danger by poor password practices, it is shocking to realise that businesses are still neglecting to ensure strict security policies are put in place. So in a world where 81% of security breaches are caused by weak or stolen passwords how can you protect your business you might ask. Here’s our top 5 tips items you can take to protect your security:
1. Use Complex passwords
Although Password123 might be easy for you to remember, it is likely also one of the first strings a potential hacker will try when attempting to access your account. Using brute force hacking attempts, bad-actors quickly and methodically attempt logins with popular or simple passwords. This will very easily provide them access to your account secured by Admin1 or letmein2.
2. Enable lockout policies
Neglecting to have good lockout policies in place can leave the door open to brute force hacking. By locking down your accounts after a set number of incorrect password attempts you can significantly lower your risk of falling victim to a brute force attack.
3. Ensure passwords are changed periodically
We all hear horror stories of large-scale password leaks, such as the 2020 case of 280 Million Microsoft user credentials discovered unprotected on the web, or the 2020 discovery of 5,000,000 Zoom teleconferencing accounts up for sale on the dark web. Potentially the most scary aspect of these stories is how most victims of password leakage do not know they have been compromised until it is too late. Ensuring your passwords are set to expire after a period of time can reduce the risk of any accounts which have been unknowingly leaked becoming accessed by bad-actors.
4. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
In cases of password theft, the use of passwords on multiple accounts is a major risk factor. If your password were to fall into the hands of a bad-actor they are likely to attempt the credential on a multitude of different accounts. Using unique password for each of your accounts can help isolate any potential breach.
5. Utilise MFA
Feeling nervous that your passwords are the only security measure standing between a hacker and your valuable data? It doesn’t have to be that way. We encourage all our Managed Clients to layer up their security profile by utilising. Multi Factor Authentication on their accounts. This is an invaluable tool which can act as a security barrier even if your password falls into the wrong hands.
If your company needs any assistance in implementing any of the above strategies or would like to have a discussion about your IT security feel free to contact our friendly team on 1300 853 453 or drop us a line.