[co-author: Charlene Bond]

It’s necessary to remain safe all year long, and in October, cybersecurity takes on much more significance: since 2004, it has been designated as Cybersecurity Consciousness Month. Within the 20 years since its inception, authorities and business have labored collectively to supply assets to allow organizations and their workers to remain safer and safer on-line.

In 2023, the main target is on 4 key behaviors:

Creating robust passwords and utilizing a password supervisor

Enabling multi-factor authentication

Updating software program

Recognizing and reporting phishing makes an attempt

That is the primary in a sequence of 4 articles discussing every of those key behaviors and offering suggestions and options that may assist hold organizations, their shoppers, and their workers safe.

Securing Digital Property With Sturdy Passwords

The rise in on-line accounts, together with subscription-based providers, and the rising variety of units used within the workplace and at house have led to a seemingly exponential improve within the variety of passwords—and the rising concern of password administration. In consequence, password safety has turn out to be a serious concern for firms, and one of many greatest challenges is getting workers to make use of higher password hygiene. How can organizations facilitate the safe administration of workers’ company and private passwords?

Defend company accounts with passwords which are a minimum of 15 characters lengthy. Criminals can work out quick passwords in simply minutes. As a substitute, implement tips for utilizing lengthy passphrases as company passwords. A passphrase consisting of 5 unrelated phrases is less complicated to memorize than a string of random characters. Educate workers on how one can create a phrase that they will bear in mind however hackers can’t crack.

Criminals can work out quick passwords in simply minutes. As a substitute, implement tips for utilizing lengthy passphrases as company passwords. A passphrase consisting of 5 unrelated phrases is less complicated to memorize than a string of random characters. Educate workers on how one can create a phrase that they will bear in mind however hackers can’t crack. Prepare workers to make use of distinctive passwords for all accounts. Utilizing the identical or related password in work and private accounts might open the group to assault—if criminals work out an worker’s password for one account, they might use it to attempt to entry the worker’s different accounts, together with their work account. Assist workers perceive the risks of reusing the identical or related password and that every private and work account needs to be secured with an extended, distinctive password.

Utilizing the identical or related password in work and private accounts might open the group to assault—if criminals work out an worker’s password for one account, they might use it to attempt to entry the worker’s different accounts, together with their work account. Assist workers perceive the risks of reusing the identical or related password and that every private and work account needs to be secured with an extended, distinctive password. Implement an enterprise-wide password supervisor to handle passwords. Password managers generate and save lengthy, distinctive passwords for accounts, eradicating the necessity to bear in mind them and reducing the potential for password reuse. Passwords for communal company web sites, reminiscent of analysis databases, may be shared amongst colleagues, and the account proprietor can obscure the password for added safety.

Lengthy passwords are robust passwords—an necessary level for organizations to emphasise to workers. Following finest practices for password creation and administration will assist hold work and private accounts safer.