Password Management

Practice good password management

We all have too many passwords to manage - and it's easy to take short-cuts, like reusing the same password.  A password manager can help you to maintain strong unique passwords for all of your accounts.  These programs can generate strong passwords for you, enter credentials automatically, and remind you to update your passwords periodically.

Passwords are difficult to manage properly. Yet are one of the most important things we can do from a security perspective. Verizon studied 868 breaches involving hacking. The vast majority (four in five) of these were linked to passwords in some way.

Center for Internet Security – Who’s mission is to make the connected world a safer place by developing, validating, and promoting timely best practice solutions that help people, businesses, and governments protect themselves against pervasive cyber threats. Created a list of password best practices.

Password Best Practices

• Passwords should have at least 14 characters and include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

• Use different passwords for each account you access.

• Do not use words and proper names in passwords, regardless of language, or personal information, such as your name, a family member or pet’s name, etc.

• Change passwords regularly -- at least every 60 days; if you believe your account has been compromised change passwords immediately. Do not reuse old passwords.

• Do not allow websites to automatically log in to an account; many services store this information locally and it can be exploited by attackers to gain access without a password.

• Do not share your password with anyone and do not respond to emails or phone calls asking for your login credentials. Legitimate businesses will never ask for your login credentials via these methods.

• At work, follow your organization's password policy and use different passwords for work and personal use. Do not use your work email when joining and accessing personal websites.

• Use multi-factor authentication consisting of something you know (password) and something you have (mobile phone, physical key, etc.), if it is offered.

Help for Passwords

One of the best ways to manage passwords is to use a password manager. A password manager securely stores login information for websites and other credentials you use for logins. When possible, they will automatically log you into the website. This allows you to adhere to password best practices and protect your business against hackers from accessing your information.

If you would like to know more about password management, please contact us at BounceBack Solutions.

BounceBack Solution is a cybersecurity company focused on providing cybersecurity solutions.

Cybersecurity tips sourced from UC Berkeley

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