It has been said and written and discussed by many in the IT business, but it cannot be overstated: Strong passwords are crucial to cybersecurity.
Scammers utilize numerous phishing methods to infiltrate networks, so it is up to business operators and IT professionals alike to be vigilant and implement as many obstacles as possible. One of the most important steps is establishing protocols within their organizations.
When setting these rules up, it is essential to remember that one of the many ways bad actors gain access to a network is through employees, either by determining easy to solve passwords or by clicking on links or attachments. Some studies say that nearly 7 out of 10 breaches can be tracked to human error.
So, to help keep a company secure, it is vital to educate employees on the importance of strong passwords and which types of links or attachments are permissible to click on.
For passwords, it is not only important to inform staff as to why strong passwords are a protective measure but also go a step further and require those that are not easily cracked by hackers. It can be a combination of characters, letters and numbers. Further, the length of a password also can make it difficult for cybercriminals, which is why some firms recommend using phrases or sentences. Those can be any mixture of spelled out words or symbols.
In general, what does research show as to why employees use shorter, simpler passwords? One reason is because they are easy to remember. A method to resolve that issue is for organizations to offer a password vault, manager or app to store the passwords. Studies also show that users often utilize the same password for many accounts, so this will help with that as well.
Another step a company or organization can take is to have expiration dates on passwords and not allow them to be repeated. The password manager would help with that as well.
Using Multi-Factor Authentication will also reduce a company’s exposure to cyberthreats. This makes it more difficult for hackers to get in a network even when they figure out a password. There are several methods to confirm a user’s identity through MFA, including sending a code to a linked email or device or calling a linked phone number.
Cybercriminals are using every tool at their disposal, including artificial intelligence, to find a way into a network and hold companies and their data hostage. So, organizations should do likewise to fend off cyber threats.
Not sure what the best methods you should utilize to protect your business? Reach out to FTC IT Solutions at 888-218-5050 to find out what the experts there can do to help put a barrier around your network to protect your business and data.
