How often do you find yourself using the same password for every computer or service you use? What is at risk if that password is stolen or hacked?
In recent years, the need for complex passwords, PIN numbers, user names, email addresses, etc. has become more important than ever. Unfortunately, many users use the same generic, easily guessed passwords or phrases for most, if not all, of their accounts. Recent studies have shown just how basic user passwords really are, as demonstrated by this list of the top 5 commonly used passwords:
- 123456
- password
- iloveyou
- 654321
- abc123
From a security standpoint, unique passwords are very important in keeping information private and secure. However, from a user prospective, unique passwords are seen as a time consuming headache.
In order to improve password security, let us first address what makes a password “strong”. A strong password includes at least one upper case letter, one lower case letter, one number, and one special character. A great example of a strong password is “P@ssw0rd” as using numbers and special characters in place of normal letters is a great way to make the password more unique yet easy to remember.
While it is easy to create a memorable strong password, how can users create these passwords AND remember them for every user account and service they access? Solutions like a written password list or an Excel spreadsheet list, while popular, are not secure and are easily lost. Listed below are free password management solutions which fill the needs of both password tracking and security:
KeePass
http://keepass.info/
Password Safe
http://sourceforge.net/projects/passwordsafe/
FlyBit Password Keeper
http://www.pwkeeper.com/
With the above programs, the files which contain the password list are securely encrypted. If the password list is compromised, a hacker will have a very difficult time breaking the encryption in order to gain access to the password database. An added benefit of these programs is the inclusion of a random password generator. This function will create a password for a new account using strong password requirements. All a user needs to remember is the master password for their password list, so randomly generated passwords are much easier to work with.
The Best Technology team are experts on enforcing password security on a business network scale through tools such as Active Directory and Managed Services. Give one of our Business Technology Consultants a call today at 440-471-0344 to discuss how Best Technology can bring your business password security peace of mind.
Related article: Make Your Password A Needle In A Haystack For Hackers
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