Half of Internet users use the same password for all their accounts (LastPass, 2021) and 44% of people use passwords for both personal and work-related accounts. (TechRepublic, 2021).
If that’s not bad enough, check out these shocking statistics:
- Stolen and reused passwords cause 80% of hacking incidents. (Verizon, 2020)
- Poor passwords cause 81% of company data breaches. (TraceSecurity)
- 70% of consumers are concerned they will be cyberattack victims. (SecureLink, 2021)
We all need to be more careful when creating passwords and securing them. Here are some valuable tips on creating more secure passwords and how to keep them that way.
Password Mistakes
We are probably all guilty of having bad password-creation habits. Have any of the following blunders applied to you when setting a password?
The above graphic shows the major “no-no’s” of password creation. Instead of using passwords a “friend” on your social network can easily guess; let’s see how we produce attack-proof passwords.
Create Secure Passwords
Here are some valuable tips for creating an almost unbreakable password:
- Make it long (like between 12 and 20 characters)
- Use a combination of the following:
- Letters (mix of lowercase and uppercase)
- Numbers (no sequential numbers, please!)
- Symbols (use the ones allowed in the software)
Here are some good examples of strong passwords:
- X5j13$#eCM1cG@Kdc
- %j8kr^Zfpr!Kf#ZjnGb$
You should also develop a unique (and protected) password for each account. Never repeat passwords!
Generate Safe Passwords
You can generate safeguarded passwords using these methods:
- Random Password Generator - Sites such as www.experte.com/password-generator can help you generate a random and unique password. The only downside is that random passwords are difficult to remember.
- Random Passphrase Generator - A passphrase is a password composed of a sentence or combination of words. Passphrases are more challenging to crack because they tend to be longer and more complex than passwords. A site like https://www.useapassphrase.com/ can generate random passphrases.
- Brute Force Search Space Calculator - You can experiment with setting secure passwords with this type of search. How Big is Your Haystack tests passwords against three attack scenarios. It also gives you the estimated time it would take to crack your password.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Consider this: Multi-factor authentication blocks 99.9% of all attacks. (Microsoft, 2020) What is Multi-factor authentication (MFA)? MFA is much better security than a single-factor authentication like a password or passphrase.
MFA uses at least two of three factors to verify your identity. There are three common kinds of “factors”:
- Something you know, like a password
- Something you have, like a smartphone
- Something you are, like a fingerprint or facial recognition
Use a Password Manager
This password creating may sound like too much for you (since 60% of people say they are lazy when making passwords MSN, 2021). If that’s the case, consider using a platform to produce and keep every password safe.
Password Managers allow you to keep track of your passwords without remembering them. The only password you have to remember is the master password. However, you should combine that password with two-factor authentication (2FA) or biometric authentication (fingerprint or face scan).
Most cyber-security specialists say that password managers are the most secure way to protect passwords. Top password managers encrypt passwords before they even leave your device.
If your organization has many Admins and Instructors and would like to get a better password management solution in place, Enrollsy can help you through our partnership with 1Password. Contact us for more information or special pricing.
Enrollsy Password Security
Enrollsy uses MFA and scours the internet and data breach reports for known username and password breaches. If a user signs into Enrollsy with a known breached username and/or password, Enrollsy will block the log in. Enrollsy will email the user a request to reset their password.
Enrollsy strives to keep all client data safe and secure. Learn how Enrollsy can help your business grow securely with our customizable enrollment software. Schedule a free demo, and we'll answer your questions.
