Cybersecurity

Why password management is critical to your business security

June 3, 2019

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Passwords are a pretty big deal

If you’ve been following our blog, you’ll probably have noticed a recurring theme across our cybersecurity tips and articles: passwords are a pretty big deal. Weak passwords are a liability. The strongest passwords are, or at least appear, random. And we often recommend using a password manager like LastPass. Let’s look a little closer at password managers and the top three ways to make the most of a password manager to protect your small business.

1. Mix it up

A different password for every single login. It’s daunting, we know. When you think about how many different places you need to input passwords on a daily basis, that’s a lot of memorization. And that’s where a password manager, like LastPass or Dashlane, comes in. Instead of memorizing dozens of different passwords, you only need to remember one: the one that logs you into your password manager, where all your other passwords are at your fingertips.

2. Keep it fresh

You should be updating your passwords pretty regularly. Again, without a password manager, remembering to update and then memorizing a whole new batch of passwords wouldn’t be the easiest task. With the password manager? Easy peasy. Set it, forget it, and grab it when you need it.

3. Be unpredictable

Remember how we said you’d only need to memorize one password? Make it a good one. Since you only have to remember the password to your password manager account, don’t use something that could be easy to figure out. Ideally, avoid using names and dates that someone could figure out if they did a bit of digging (like names or birthdays of loved ones, pet names, favourite TV shows, etc.).

Bonus tip: double up

Whenever it’s offered, enable two-factor authentication. Having that extra layer of protection will supercharge your password-protected accounts and folders. Strong password management + two-factor authentication = greater peace of mind for your business.

Stronger, more diverse passwords can be a huge advantage for your business, and a password manager is the best way to accomplish this (for those of us who don’t have a photographic memory, that is). And one last thing. It should go without saying, but we’ve all been guilty of this at least once: don’t share your passwords with anyone. Or if you absolutely, positively, break-glass-in-case-of-emergency must, make sure you immediately change your password after.

Passwords are a pretty big deal

1. Mix it up

2. Keep it fresh

3. Be unpredictable

Bonus tip: double up

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