As business owners discussing the topic of cybersecurity, you automatically think of anti-virus software, state-of-the-art firewalls, even whether to hire your own cybersecurity team or outsource your IT support and cybersecurity to an experienced third party.
But what if we were to tell you that you, as an individual, are just as much a risk factor to your business’s overall security safety as the potential for the odd phishing email to infect and even destroy your organisations most valuable assets?
The personal devices you use to sign-in to and stay connected, whether you’re working on-site or remotely, to your business’s network are just as susceptible to a cyberattack. Understanding the importance of password security and taking it seriously can be the difference between preventing a potentially damaging attack and having to try and salvage what’s left after.
Why are passwords so important?
Many people fail to realise that the passwords you use are often the first line of defence against a multitude of potential cyberattacks. The harder you make it for someone to guess your password, the more likely you are to protect what matters the most to you and your business.
Using strong passwords and knowing how to create one is a small step but often the one that is most over-looked. It is easy to expect the safety of your business to solely rely on software and your IT team, or outsourced IT provider, to deal with the rest, not realising you may have created the first port of attack for cybercriminals.
When businesses fail to prepare themselves against the potential of cyberattacks, they leave themselves open to;
- Economic and financial loss
- Reputational damage
- Legal consequences
- Loss of productivity
- Disruption to business continuity
What is password security and how can I implement it?
Passwords only came into action around the 1960’s, yet you would think within the space of sixty odd years we would have progressed from using our childhood pet’s name as the master key to unlocking our businesses most valuable data.
So, you ask, what makes a password worthy?
- Complexity – There are 26 letters in the alphabet which can be used in lower-case or upper-case form, as well as a range of special characters including 10 numbers you can use in whatever sequence you desire. Different platforms may have their own limitations on password length as well as requirements however this should not prevent you from creating a complex and strong password.
- Diversity – One common error many make is to use the same password across their accounts. Should a cybercriminal manage to hack one of your accounts you wouldn’t want them testing the same password on your other accounts.
- Management – Needless to say, writing your passwords down on a piece of paper will only amount to you entering your digital grave earlier than desired. Passwords need to be stored correctly to ensure that they are not easily accessible to anyone you have not granted user permission to; however you do need to be able to rely that they will be available as and when needed. Nowadays, we have incredible resources and tools at hand to manage your passwords such as LastPass.
Conclusion
At the end of the day your choice of passwords as well as policies, processes and technologies to keep them safe is what will stand between you and a cybercriminal. These perpetrators are faceless and can often be untraceable, making it difficult to seek prosecution.
Your current cybersecurity systems may need strengthening as such we would highly recommend our Cyber Security Audit. This service will help reveal what risks are faced by your business and how to mitigate them. Having the proper security measures in place are critical and in an ever-changing threat landscape, you can never be too careful.
If you’re looking for a trusted IT partner to help you and your team build strong defences against cybercriminals, reach out to us today on +44 203 034 2244 or +1 323 984 8908. Alternately, you can contact us online. We will be happy to help you overcome your IT challenges. Our friendly team will help guide you through your options and will help ensure that you get the right IT Outsourcing contract for your organisational needs. We have engineering bases in the United Kingdom, Europe and Southern California and our group of highly experienced engineers are available 24/7 to assist and ensure that your business’ IT infrastructure is running seamlessly.
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