What Makes a Strong Password ?
And Why Do I Need One ?
Think about some of your private accounts right now . Chances are that you have an email account , social media accounts , bank account , and more that are all password-protected . Do you share passwords across different accounts , and are your passwords strong enough to keep cybercriminals away from your private information ? If not , it might be time to evaluate .
Passwords offer the first line of defense when someone tries to access your sensitive information . Without passwords , anyone could gain access to your social media account , which could provide them with personal information that could be used to harm you . Even worse , bank accounts would be easily accessible to cybercriminals hoping to rob you of your funds .
While many personal accounts are password-protected , your business accounts also need to be properly secured . But this doesn ’ t just exclusively apply to you — it needs to be understood on a companywide level . Every employee needs to use passwords to keep sensitive business information secure . Think about the damage a cybercriminal could do to your business if they gained access . They would permanently damage your business ’ s reputation while also putting your employees ’ and customers ’ private information at risk .
However , it ’ s not enough to simply put a password in place . The passwords you choose need to be complex . But what makes a password complex ? A complex password will utilize a mix of upper and lowercase letters , numbers , punctuation , and special characters . Additionally , your password should not be related to any personal information , nor should you use dictionary words . Your password should be incredibly difficult for someone to guess , even if they know you well , but you also need to ensure that your password is something you can remember .
But even with a complex password , it ’ s likely still not enough protection . Each of your accounts and devices should have a unique password that hasn ’ t been used anywhere else . If you use the same password across all accounts and devices , you ’ re opening yourself up to a pretty extreme cyberattack if one of your accounts is compromised . All a cybercriminal needs to do is hack your Facebook page , and they will have the password for your bank accounts and email .
You might think that it ’ d be impossible to remember so many different complex passwords , but software is available that can help . The best way to keep track of your passwords is to use a password manager . With a password manager , you only have to remember one master password , and the software keeps track of the rest . It will even help you create complex passwords for your different accounts to ensure that your information is as protected as possible .
If you oversee a team of employees , then it ’ s vital that they understand why creating strong passwords is so important . Your team should have training on cybersecurity practices , including information on creating passwords . If just one employee fails to create a complex and unique password , it could open you up to a cyberattack .
Creating strong passwords does not have to be difficult . If you ’ re struggling to remember or create strong passwords , use a password manager . Strong passwords will help keep your sensitive information protected . n
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