Cyber security is becoming a serious problem in society as more of our services and information are transferred to computers and online. The Heartbleed bug caused chaos, and other similar threats cause businesses a lot of downtime each year.
The humble password remains your most powerful tool. It’s the key to your front door. A bad password can easily allow a hacker to get around even the most sophisticated security systems. Look at these tips to improve your password security.
Change it Regularly
Have you ever wondered why software seems to have an update every few weeks and yet nothing changes?
Most updates are security updates. It’s essentially the software resetting itself and changing slightly to make sure hackers using the latest techniques can’t get through. With every alteration, cybercriminals have to begin their attacks all over again. Change your passwords regularly to make it even harder for hackers to get through.
Types of Passwords
You have different security levels when it comes to passwords. Let’s start with the most basic type of password. These are words and phrases personal to the individual. You’ll most commonly find them on home computers. A business should limit their usage of this type of password, despite the fact they’re easy to remember.
Restricted areas should have complicated strings of letters, numbers, and symbols. These strings can be stored independently. It’s more inconvenient for users, but these are difficult for hackers to guess through brute force attacks.
Brute force attacks always try to use common English words and phrases first.
Limit the Damage and Increase Security
Make sure your systems have multiple layers of passwords and segregate data. For example, have each password lead to only a small area of your server. The owners of these passwords should only have access to the areas of the server relevant to them. By using different passwords in this way, you increase security. Sometimes, it’s about safety in numbers.
Keep Malware and Anti-Virus Systems in Check
Keyloggers are what you want to watch out for. These can break even the securest passwords. Keyloggers are pieces of software installed on your system without your knowledge. They log your key strokes and transmit these back to a hacker. Once you enter your password, they will know the password.
It’s pointless to secure your password if you’re allowing hackers to circumvent them. Use a reputable anti-virus and malware provider, and always perform updates and scans when prompted.
Conclusion
Keeping a strong password isn’t difficult. The vast majority of people find their passwords falling into the wrong hands due to laxity. Keep altering your passwords every few weeks and ensure every other aspect of your security is completely updated.
Online security relies on a company’s ability to have every part of it work in tandem. If one area lacks, a hacker will find a way through and render your other security protocols ineffective.
A business continuity plan is the equivalent of your strategy when the world goes into meltdown mode. It’s your version of the nuclear shelter. You might have your offices wiped out by a natural disaster or your servers taken down by a cyber-attack. No business is completely free from risk.