decrypting myths new identity silo , with unique password management requirements ."
Higgins added that our use of weak passwords is a result of an inability to remember multiple strong ones .
" In fact , 84 % of remote workers admit to reusing passwords , based on our own previous studies ," he said . " Added to this , passwords are still often the only verification method in use . Because of this , IT professionals consider passwords to be among the weakest links in their company ’ s defences ."
To overcome the weak-password crisis , Higgins suggested organisations start to mandate MFA .
" The first part of the authentication process should require something the user already knows , for example , like a password , and the second something the user doesn ’ t already know , such as a code sent to the mobile phone by
Mark Belgrove , Head of Cyber Consultancy at Exponential-e
authentication software or created by a designated application on the phone . This code becomes the other half of a user ’ s login authentication ."
By taking this step , Higgins said attackers won ’ t gain access to an account even if they stole a password – they need the other form of authentication .
Another MFA advocate is Head of Cyber Consultancy at Exponential-e ,
Mark Belgrove . Belgrove highlighted the challenge created by our mass transition to remote working in 2020 .
" The pandemic has made the issue of password security worse because many employees aren ’ t connected to a VPN ,” he said .
“ It is very hard to change and update passwords without being connected to network infrastructure , so many employees will have now had the same passwords for over a year . Even those that are connected to a VPN may be using easy-to-guess passwords as most VPNs don ’ t understand special characters ."
Belgrove claimed this small difference in circumstances poses a threat because criminals find weaker , repeated passwords easier to breach .
" When credentials are breached and an individual is using the same password for every service , including work
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