PASSWORD: Password
We all know someone who has used the word “password” or “password123” as their password.
Or you may even someone who uses one simple password with 1 capital letter and a few numbers for every account.
The reality is, that is a very. dangerous. game.
Companies are experiencing data breaches at an increasing rate. Just this week, Expedia fell victim to a massive cyber-attack, and with every breach cybercriminals are able to obtain customer data.
So what does that have to do with passwords?
In one word: everything.
Why is this risky?
Let’s say you are using your primary email address and the password “XYZ” and you create an account with Expedia (or any site, really), and a hacker gets ahold of that one site’s log in information. If you are using that same email address and password combination for your bank account, home security app, social media accounts, a subscription service, or another retail site, then the hacker now has access to every single one of those accounts, too.
They can transfer your assets, steal credit card numbers, find your home address, and more. Yikes!
It is safe to assume that no one wants to be caught in that scenario, so here is what we suggest:
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- Never reuse passwords. Have a unique password for every account you have.
- Use passphrases instead of passwords. Instead of “Example456” we recommend something like “Ac@tsat1nthew!indow0NTues456”
- Use a secure password storage to save all your unique passphrases in one place. We really like LastPass.
- Stay on top of potential data breaches. Visit the HaveIBeenPwned.com website periodically to see if your email address has been compromised in a data breach.
PCA Technology Solutions can partner with your organization to be your Technology Coach.
Password management, data security, and technology management are all time and resource intensive, but you can outsource those items and more by partnering with PCA. Contact us today to learn more.
