Suggested initially back in 2005 by security researcher and expert Mark Burnett, the very first World Password Day eventually occurred in May 2013. While it is pretty much relegated to a curious Google drawing by most, the idea for this day was as a means of encouraging people to change their passwords at least once a year. Set for the first Thursday in May of each year, World Password Day promotes better password habits to protect our digital identities for social media, financial data access, and other communications. At a time when more people are now working from home than ever before, network security in Boston needs to be a top priority. Whether you encourage the use of a password manager or offer your team other options to avoid a security incident response, World Password Day is a great excuse to have a serious conversation about internal computer credentials and password safety.
How Important are Passwords?
Studies reveal that more than 25 percent of Google users have used the word “password” or qwerty” as a primary password for their accounts. Whether as a temporary solution or long-term password, this might be surprising to some but more believable to others. In another study, more than 60 percent of those surveyed admitted to using the same password across multiple accounts, including their bank accounts, email accounts, and social media. Even more alarming is that the majority of computer users don’t even bother to change those passwords more than once a year and usually only when prompted by the provider.
As most users have a wide range of websites, applications, and programs that they need to access on a daily basis, many now use authenticator applications or digital vaults to store their passwords, so they only need to remember one to unlock them all. Also known as a password manager, this type of solution can be helpful for many team members as part of a more comprehensive approach to network security in Boston. Much better than writing down the password and keeping it on a desk or some other visible location, many IT departments have begun creating and maintaining complex passwords for staff to prevent common hacking attempts.
Did you know? Personal information often finds its way into password creation, including the names of pets or kids, birthdates, birth years, and favorite sports teams, all of which can be easy for cybercriminals to guess from your social media and other public information. While using personal information can make it easier for the individual to remember their password, it also puts them at risk for someone figuring out how to access their essential data and applications.
Passwords and Internal Computer Credentials
You might have heard the term “credentials” and assumed that it was a more robust method of protecting access to a company network, computer, or application. However, credentials are simply another term for inputting an identifying marker for authentication, which is essentially the same thing as a password. Identifying or authenticating the authority to access an IT service, application, program, or device still means having log-in information, such as a username and password. Much like any other type of password, if these credentials are lost or compromised in any way, it can be dangerous for any kind of organization or business. If someone gets your credentials, they can potentially do lots of damage.
Tips for better password management include employee education, such as teaching your team not to keep their password on their computer written on a sticky note or jotting it down on their desk blotter. It also means not choosing their pets’ names while having a framed photo of Fido and Fifi with their names on it sitting in their cubicle. Your best bet to ensure improved network security in Boston for your entire organization is to work with a professional consultant.
Network Security in Boston
When you contact Synivate, our team of highly trained and experienced technicians can help to enhance your current protocols for internal computer credentials and security incident response. We can assist you in developing a backup and recovery plan designed to get your business back up and running following security or disaster-related events. We offer a wide range of strategic services and innovative technology solutions designed to help you achieve your goals. We specialize in IT systems design, implementation, and support. Contact our team directly by calling 617-848-1248 to schedule a consultation.