Why You Need Advanced Password Security

Does Your  IT Services Company Offer Advanced Password Security?

Despite the fact that passwords are the most direct way to access a user’s private information, most passwords in use today are simply not strong or complex enough. Passwords protect email accounts, banking information, private documents, administrator rights and more – and yet, user after user and business after business continues to make critical errors when it comes to choosing and protecting their passwords.

Common Password Mistakes

Your IT company should be helping you with your cybersecurity, but if they’re leaving your passwords up to you, then you may not be secure. Are you confident in your security? Find out for sure by considering these common password mistakes:

• Length and Complexity: Keep in mind that the easier it is for you to remember a password, the easier it’ll be for a hacker to figure it out. That’s why short and simple passwords are so common – users worry about forgetting them, so they make them too easy to remember, which presents an easy target for hackers.
• Numbers, Case, and Symbols: Another factor in the password’s complexity is whether or not it incorporates numbers, cases, and symbols. While it may be easier to remember a password that’s all lower-case letters, it’s important to mix in numbers, capitals, and symbols in order to increase the complexity.
• Personal Information: Many users assume that information specific to them will be more secure – the thinking, for example, is that your birthday is one of 365 possible options in a calendar year, not to mention your birth year itself. The same methodology applies to your pet’s name, your mother’s maiden name, etc. However, given the ubiquity of social media, it’s not difficult for hackers to research a target through Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites to determine when they were born, information about their family, personal interests, etc.
• Pattern and Sequences: Like the other common mistakes, many people use patterns as passwords in order to better remember them, but again, that makes the password really easy to guess. “abc123”, or the first row of letters on the keyboard, “qwerty”, etc., is extremely easy for hackers to guess.

In the end, creating and using strong passwords can be frustrating, but it’s incredibly important. Privacy and security are major concerns for personal users and businesses alike these days, and so you have to be sure that you aren’t making it easy for hackers to access you or your business’ private data.

However, that’s not the most convenient or reliable way to approach password management – two-factor authentication is.

Does Your IT Service Provider Offer Two Factor Authentication?

Two-factor authentication, also called multiple-factor or multiple-step verification, is an authentication mechanism to double-check that your identity is legitimate. Its purpose is to make attackers’ life harder and reduce fraud risks. If you already follow basic password security measures, two-factor authentication will make it more difficult for cybercriminals to breach your account.

Answers to security questions are easy to find out, unfortunately, especially now that we are willingly sharing all the details about our lives on social networks and blogs. Anyone that interacts with us on a daily basis can find out the answers to common security questions, such as the graduation year, the city that you grew up in, or our first pet’s name.

This is where two-factor authentication comes in handy. It will offer you an extra layer of protection, besides passwords. Two-factor authentication requires the user to utilize two methods to confirm that they are the rightful account owner. There are three categories of information that can be used in this process:

• Something you have: Includes a mobile phone, app, or generated code
• Something you know: A family member’s name, city of birth, pin, or phrase
• Something you are: Includes fingerprints and facial recognition

Want More Advanced Cybersecurity Support From Your IT Company?

Don’t settle for basic cybersecurity support from your IT company.

The HelpDesk Company wants to protect your IT systems and safeguard your company against threats from hackers. We perform security assessments of your IT infrastructure, undertake penetration testing, and offer reporting and security guidance services to our clients.

Click here to get started or call us at (804) 282-2282 and schedule a consultation.