Where there is yin, there is yang. Where there is bad, there is good. And where there is data, there are cyber-criminals. In the endless battle to protect our assets, secrets, and identity, the passwords we choose and use are our first line of defense. So a strong password is better than a weak one.

Weak passwords= weak security

Unauthorized access to your system provides entry to everything on that system’s network. Intruders will have the ability to steal data, corrupt it, and destroy it. Viruses can be uploaded into the network, which can then be spread via email or to that remote into the infected system. YIKES!

It is everyone’s responsibility to prevent this from happening. Using a strong password is a great first step.

Define “Strong”

A strong password has at least 8 characters and contains the following:

  • Uppercase and lowercase letters
  • Numbers
  • Special symbols like: !, @, #, $

 

Most commonly used passwords.

Do not use these passwords! They are easily guessed by unauthorized users.

 

But how do you remember long passwords with weird characters, especially since you’re supposed to have a different one for each account or program that you use?  Here are some tips to help you remember:

  • Use a number in place of a letter that looks similar. Example:  use a “1” when there are “i’s” or “l’s”, “3” for “E”, “0” for “O”, etc.  Or better yet, make up your own code!
  • Pick a short sentence that means something to you, and add a three letter code to specialize it to the account to which it belongs.

Examples

For Yahoo: my cAt 1s Fat!Yah

For Windows login: my cAt 1s Fat!Win

For Amazon prime: my cAt 1s Fat!Ama

Building a strong, complex password is the perfect opportunity to express your creativity and be unique. Using passwords will help deter data theft. However, there is more you can do to tighten the security around your system and network infrastructure.

Loyal IT provides security audits to pinpoint your network’s vulnerabilities, and remediation to close potential attack vectors. Contact us today to learn how we can make your company’s data more secure.