How to Safeguard Your Passwords

 

It is nearly impossible to read the news for more than a few days without coming across an article about a significant data breach that has the potential to put the personal information of millions of consumers at risk of being stolen by criminals. In order to prevent your private information from falling into the wrong hands, here are a few precautions you may take. Contact us today to see how Circle MSP, can help YOU with IT Service Management.  

Make sure to use secure passwords.

When constructing a password, you should avoid using any words or figures that a hacker could quickly figure out, such as your birthday. Instead, you should think of phrases that only you would know. Choose different permutations of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numerals, and symbols, then swap them out at regular intervals. It is also recommended that you come up with your own unique password rather than using the same password across different websites; a password manager application can assist you in keeping track of all of your passwords.

Avoid oversharing on social media platforms.

We all have at least one buddy that shares far too many personal details about their life on social media platforms. This may not only be a nuisance, but it may also put the confidentiality of your personal information in danger. Make sure that you are aware of who may view your postings by checking the privacy settings on your account, and exercise caution whenever you are sharing information like your location, birthplace, birth date, or any other type of personal detail.

Be wary when using public Wi-Fi networks.

A little bit of time spent shopping online isn't going to hurt anyone, is it? The vast majority of free public Wi-Fi networks have very little in the way of security safeguards, which means that other people using the same network could readily access your activity. Before taking out your credit card, you need to ensure that you are either in your own residence or connected to a private network that requires a password.

Be wary of any attachments or links in the message.

Phishing scams are frequently constructed by cyber criminals in a way that makes them appear to be genuine communications sent by corporate entities such as banks, utility companies, or other business organizations. Incorrect spelling or the use of an email address that deviates from the norm for the sender can be indicators that the message in question is unsolicited commercial email (spam).

Make sure you check to determine if the website is safe.

Check the address bar at the top of your browser before providing any personally identifiable information to a website. If you see a padlock icon and "https" at the beginning of the website's URL, you may be confident that the website is safe to use. A website's privacy policy, contact information, or a seal that says it is "certified secure" are some of the additional indicators that can be used to judge whether or not a website can be trusted.

Think about adding more layers of defense.

Set up a firewall, as well as virus and spyware protection software, on your computer. If you want an additional layer of defense, you should think about purchasing cyber insurance. This type of coverage can keep you and your loved ones safe in the event that you are the target of a cyberattack. At Circle MSP, our specialists are prepared to examine your organization's susceptibilities to cyberattacks, assist in covering fraudulent charges, and make certain that your family has the resources necessary to recuperate not only physically but also emotionally.

We often generate a username and password if we go paperless for reasons of convenience or sustainability, create a new account in order to do some online shopping, or log in to access personal records. In doing so, we enhance our susceptibility to cybercrime. In point of fact, password breaches are one of the most prevalent methods by that criminals get access to computer systems. However, the increasingly digital world we live in mandates that we conduct our business and carry out our transactions online.

Go long.

When coming up with passwords, try to use between 14 and 16 characters. Although it is ideal to choose passwords that are both complicated and lengthy in order to give the most solid line of defense possible against potential hackers, it is important to keep in mind that longer passwords are harder to crack regardless of how easy they are. Passphrases are recommended by cybersecurity experts whenever it is possible. Passphrases are lengthier phrases, even if they are formed of shorter words and contain no unique characters. The longer the password, the more time and resources will be required to break it. Longer passwords are harder to crack.

Never reuse a password.

We are all tempted to use the same password more than once, particularly if we have the impression that one of our passwords is exceptionally secure or if it is simple to remember. When we use the same password for many accounts, though, we are essentially handing out the metaphorical keys to the kingdom. In a matter of minutes, cybercriminals can use sophisticated programming to test your username and password across numerous major online platforms, which grants them easy access to your secured accounts and information that has been stored.

Make sure that your email password is one of your most secure passwords.

Although it might not be immediately obvious, it is extremely important that the password you use for your email account be one of your most secure passwords. If a cybercriminal is able to break into your email account, they will likely have easy access to your most sensitive information, such as the locations of your financial accounts, the stores you frequent the most, and even the names of your closest friends and family members. This provides them with potential answers to security questions, the capacity to take on your persona, and even the power to change passwords at will – which also gives them the opportunity to lock you out of your accounts. The more assets you have, the more valuable that information is, and the more worthwhile it is for a cybercriminal to take the time to investigate your personal information in depth.

You should never save your passwords in your browser or on websites.

Your web browser or the website you're visiting will frequently offer to save your password for you. Because there are so many passwords that need to be remembered, we might be tempted to accept the offer. Although it might be more convenient, doing so is not the safest option. Why? Because it makes it possible for anyone who has access to use your computer – whether they are in the same room as you or remotely – to examine those saved passwords with only a few clicks of the mouse. Having said that, there are several notable outliers. Both Apple's iCloud Keychain and Firefox's password manager have the capability to be encrypted; in order to access previously saved passwords, you will be required to provide a master password. However, other browsers do not provide this additional layer of security; therefore, you must ensure that you have taken all the necessary precautions before allowing a browser to remember you're critical password information.

Employ the use of a password manager.

The aforementioned recommendations may appear to be insurmountable, and in reality, each one may require a considerable amount of time, vigilance, and care. Increasingly, a trustworthy password manager can be a worthwhile investment, particularly if you have a significant amount of assets at risk. This is especially true if you use multiple passwords for different online accounts. Secure password managers are distinct from browser password managers in that they offer a higher level of protection for your online accounts by automatically generating strong passwords for use online and encrypting the storage of those passwords for the utmost level of safety. Both LastPass and Dashlane are regarded as two of the best password managers currently on the market. Both provide IT services management that is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, and both provide free versions in addition to premium upgrades that need a paid subscription. These services have not suffered any data breaches to this day, and because they make use of advanced encryption, even if hackers were to obtain access, they would not be able to access data that could be useful to them.