The advent of passwords in the 1960s marked a significant turning point in the digital landscape, revolutionizing the way we safeguard our sensitive information. Today, passwords have become an ingrained part of our daily routine, often comprising personal details such as childhood pets or street names. Despite their critical role in protecting our privacy, passwords are frequently treated with complacency. Unfortunately, simple and easily-guessable passwords are inherently insecure, and cybercriminals can quickly exploit them.
Although companies that collect and store data have a responsibility to ensure its security, individuals must also take steps to safeguard their credentials. As we approach World Password Day 2023, it is crucial to raise awareness about the importance of robust passwords and encourage people to improve their password security. In light of the escalating cyberattacks and data breaches, using strong and unique passwords has never been more vital in safeguarding our online accounts and personal data.
World Password Day is celebrated every first Thursday of May, which happens to be the 4th this year — coinciding with Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you).
Based on research, 91% of people know that using the same password on multiple accounts is a security risk, yet 66% continue to use the same password anyway. Steven Scheurmann, Regional Vice President for ASEAN at Palo Alto Networks, provides simple but effective measures to make passwords the primary guardian of your personal and professional:
- Set guidelines for passwords that prevent password spraying: Ensure long passwords with a good mix of different character types — letters, numbers, and special characters. An 8-character password is easier to guess by a computer than a 16- or 24-character password.
- Avoid vulnerable passwords that are easily guessed or already compromised. If you go and Google ‘commonly used passwords,” you’ll see a list that any attacker uses when trying to guess passwords. If there is a default password on an internet-facing device or even internally. Change it ASAP!
- Avoid reusing passwords: Everyone hates remembering passwords; some great options are using the passphrase options. We can use it to create unique passwords that are easy to remember. Be wary of password managers; several have been hit recently, some of them multiple times. But they can also be an option.
- Require password updates at set frequencies: This is a pain, but consider it the standard operating procedure for business risk reduction. It doesn’t take that long to do and helps secure the organization if a set of credentials is stolen or phished somehow.
- Use multi-factor authentication methods: If a password is stolen or guessed, no matter how hard you’ve tried to be unique, having other methods to confirm it is you trying to get to a resource or a web service you use is vital. Many different cloud, security, and operating system vendors have a multi-factor authentication app that you can install on your phone to link to almost every website that supports it.
To enhance their password security and safeguard their online accounts and personal data, both individuals and organizations can take several measures. For more information on how to establish a robust cybersecurity posture with an intelligent, automated, AI-driven security operations center, check out Palo Alto Networks’ World Password Day webinar on 04 May 2023 at 1130H (GMT+8).