You would be surprised how often we see businesses and individuals using weak passwords.
Cyber security should be one of the most important aspects of your business. Essentially your passwords are the gateway to your business and personal information, so keeping your information safe by using strong passwords is crucial.
Every 39 seconds, there is a hacker attack and approximately 43% of these cyber attacks target small businesses.
We want to share some quick advice on how you can help prevent this from happening to you, just by securing your password.
Mix It Up
DO NOT use the same password for everything – This may be obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people do this. If a hacker was to gain access to one of your accounts, then they could access all of them! Better to be safe than sorry, make sure you vary your passwords.
Get Creative
Use combination passwords – Using a combination of letters, names and special characters is key. Pick a memorable number of words / phrases, substitute letters and numbers and include some special characters, this way your password is memorable to you but also much more secure!
Don’t Be Obvious
Avoid using obvious personal data in your passwords like your year of birth, maiden name or business name
Keep A Trail
Know who has your password! – Make sure to keep note of who has your password and their location so you’re able to detect any suspicious activity. Keeping a track of this means you can also stop people using it by changing it as needed. Where possible, if you can share access to your account without sharing the password by granting user permissions, do this.
Avoid Phishing
DO NOT share your password with anyone you don’t know or trust – If anyone calls you asking for your password, question this immediately!
Changing Of The Guard
Change your passwords regularly – I know this can be a pain, but it would be even worse if you lost your information altogether! Changing your passwords regularly reduces the chance of them becoming compromised.
Get Help
Use a password manager! – A password manager assists in generating and retrieving complex passwords and storing them in an encrypted database. By only needing to remember one complex password, makes your life easier, and ensures that you can keep the rest of your complex passwords in a secure place. There are many you can choose from. including. the likes of Lastpass and Keeper.
Use A Device
Use 2-factor authentication when you can – having a device that allows you to access your account after you have entered your password either by a generated code or push notification is one of the most secure ways you can control access to your accounts. Just make sure you have your device with you to use it when you need it.
Now we’ve given you some tips on how to better secure your accounts, go and check/change your passwords!