In today’s world, news of cyberattacks and data breaches are common, which has led to a heightened awareness amongst employers about maintaining a vigilant stance against potential data theft.
Some of the most basic and easy to implement measures are still being overlooked, such as password security.
Passwords act as your first line of defence against any threat or breach, and a strong password is essential when accessing both on-premise and cloud-based services.
The risks to your business
85% of password security breaches involve a human element such as human error, stolen credentials, or phishing. Whilst there is still a void between IT protocol and employees, employee password practices still account for the largest weak point in a company’s security posture, placing sensitive data at risk.
If you’re a small business, the consequences of one data breach can be devastating, putting the future of your company at risk. This, coupled with the sharp rise in remote working, means it should be a top priority for your business to address.
An effective way of mitigating this risk is to utilise a password management tool, which will assist employees in managing all their passwords without compromising on security, and will help protect your company from a data breach.
What makes a strong password?
Despite this growing awareness, many of us are still using passwords and login credentials that could severely compromise our online security, making us susceptible to cybercrime, fraud and identity theft.
Shockingly, ‘12345’ was identified by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as the most popular password used on accounts that had been breached. Using a password like this is the equivalent to leaving the front door of your home wide open; it means anyone with access to your email address could easily gain access to your online accounts and cause your business serious harm.
Here are some tips for creating a secure password:
– Passwords should contain a minimum of 12 characters, using a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols
– Combine three random words instead of using singular, full words
– Use different passwords for each account or application and keep a log of these passwords in a safe place
– Utilise a password management tool to help you create unique and complex passwords
How should I manage my passwords?
Instead of writing your passwords down on paper or in an application on your phone, a password manager application will make things easier and keep your passwords safe.
Tools such as LastPass will help keep your passwords protected and they will also offer guidance on how to create a password that is impenetrable to hackers. A password management tool will fundamentally improve how you interact with login details and, most importantly, will protect your online accounts.
These tools won’t only help you generate a unique password, but they will also let you access accounts via a single set of login details. All you have to do is log into the vault, select the account you want to access, and the vault will log you in automatically. Pretty simple, right?!
What other steps should I take to protect accounts?
Using both a password management tool and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will help enhance the security of your accounts. MFA requires multiple methods of authentication from a selection of independent categories of credentials (i.e. a password combined with a fingerprint or security code) to verify the identity of the person attempting to access an account. Combining these two features dramatically decreases the likelihood and risk of an unauthorised user accessing your account.
CCS has the technical expertise and practical experience to help advise on and implement a series of enhanced security measures such as Dark Web Monitoring and MFA to help you in strengthening the overall security of your online accounts and IT systems.
How Concorde can help to protect your online accounts and network
– Delivering regular and comprehensive cyber awareness training to your employees
– Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication on your online accounts and network
– Conducting frequent assessments of your existing security measures and providing insights into how they can be improved
– 24/7/365 DarkSight Threat Detection Monitoring
– Developing a complete password policy and strategy that is unique to your company
– Offering password management tools as a direct service to help your business control and manage passwords, as well as reporting on password effectiveness
If you’d like to know more about how Concorde can help your business with password management, please contact us by filling out an enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch.
Contact us today to see if you qualify for our free cyber security assessment.
Concorde Cyber Security offer a comprehensive range of cyber security services, from technical support to fully managed consultancy.
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