The Importance of having strong passwords for your organization

Password security is often the first line of defense for the majority of businesses today. Virtually anyone can go to the homepage or login page of a business and try to login with employee credentials. If those credentials are weak, the password is easily guessed, and the login is successful, the intruder now has full access to that account. From there, they can wreak havoc on the company in a number of ways.

On top of that, hackers can use one login credential to access another. In fact, over 50% of people use the same password for all their logins. It's crucial that businesses educate employees on strong passwords to avoid compromising both business and personal accounts of employees.

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What makes a strong password?

The first step in improving your password security is knowing what makes a strong password. Here are some guidelines you should follow to make sure your password is as strong as possible.

A password should be:

8characters or more: The vast majority of passwords are short and easily guessable. When you have 8 or more characters in your password, it's much harder to randomly guess and your credentials are more secure.

A mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols: This is an essential element of having a strong password because it makes your password much harder to crack. Most people have a mix of letters and numbers, but symbols in particular make your password much stronger. Using symbols like @,.,#,!, etc. makes your password very difficult to guess.

Avoiding dictionary words: Dictionary words are some of the easiest words to guess for passwords. It's best to make a password that is unique to you; this way, it's much harder for someone to randomly guess your password.

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Tools to increase security for stronger passwords

Use Multifactor authentication, an electronic authentication method in which a user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence to an authentication mechanism.

Use an online software to generate stronger passwords. Here's our round-up of the best password generators and managers: Dashlane, 1Password or RoboFrom, free to use and possibilities to link with Password Manager.

Then, using a password manager keep your details secure by encrypting your logins so they can only be accessed when you enter the master password. Some open-source password managers are also free to businesses. This includes Bitwarden, Passbolt, and others.

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Cybersecurity benefits of having a strong password

Many cybersecurity benefits come with having a strong password for your business. Some of the main benefits include:

●    Reduced risk of password breaches: When you have a strong password, it's much harder for someone to successfully guess your password. If your password is difficult to guess, the chances of someone gaining access to your account is slim to none.

●    Increased protection against phishing attacks: Phishing attacks are often successful because they prey on people who have weak passwords. If you have a strong password, it's harder for someone to gain access to your records even if they have successfully compromised one of your contacts.

●    Improved password management: When you have a strong password, you're less likely to forget it. This is important because password management can be a challenge for businesses, and it's important to have a system in place to keep track of passwords. Many businesses use password managers like 1Password to easily login to many accounts while keeping a strong and secure password.

These tips and benefits listed above are some of the many reasons why businesses need to have strong passwords. In a world where password breaches are becoming more and more common, businesses must take the necessary steps to protect themselves. password security should be a top priority for all businesses. To learn how you can strengthen your passwords, get a free consultation here.

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