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.
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:
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.
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:
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.