Importance of Password Protection

 

While computers and the internet have made many aspects of business and commerce easier, technology advances have not been entirely beneficial. Data breaches and catastrophic data loss are a painful reality for too many companies of all sizes. In many ways, passwords to email and other private or proprietary files and programs represent the weak link in cyber security. Employing password protection best practices, such as those listed below, can help enhance your company’s overall security fabric.

Employ Strong Passwords
Avoid easily guessed passwords, such as your kids’ birthdays, pet names, or personal or business addresses. Identity thieves and other malicious characters scour social media and public records for this kind of information, precisely for the purpose of breaking weak passwords. Likewise, avoid common names or other information that can be plugged into an algorithm. The best practice for generating strong passwords is to have them randomly generated.

Different Sites, Different Passwords
Many people use the same password for multiple sites. However, anyone who gains access to that password also has complete access to every email address, online banking record, invoice, or other private or proprietary information for which that password was used. It is much more secure to use a different password for each site or account, so that if a computer is lost or stolen, or you experience a data breach, accessing sensitive records will be more difficult.

Employ Secure Password Managers
Of course, multiple passwords are difficult to remember, but it’s not safe to maintain written records of your passwords. Password managers provided by reputable companies represent a much safer option, and require you to remember only one password rather than several.

However, even employing all the strategies above is not completely foolproof. Therefore the very best password protection practice is to update your passwords quarterly. If you have questions about password protection, or you wish to establish secure passwords, Access Technologies can help. We will work with you to develop the right system for your company’s needs, and we’ll also update the system automatically. Call our team at 505-938-3945 today.

 

Back to The Wire

Get in Touch

Want to know more about how technology can help your business? Get in touch with our expert technicians.