The first Thursday of May is the world password day, Intel created this day to highlight the importance of strong passwords.
#Layerup is the word most hated by hackers. Layering up is a highly recommended security measure involving secure authentication method such as multi-factor authentication. Nowadays almost all email providers, banks, online service providers provide tools for multi-factor authentication, also known as two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of protection for your account. It offers much better protection against hacking attempts and identity thefts.
The following are some of the important steps you can implement to secure your assets.
1. Never use common passwords such as 123456, qwerty1234, asdf123 or abc12345@, etc. It will be cracked in a matter of seconds. The usage of pets name, spouse’s name, kids name, etc also helps the hackers, this information can easily be located in the social media.
2. Always use complex passwords and change the passwords periodically to stronger passwords.
3. Use a password manager such as “LastPass” to create and remember the complex passwords. It will also help to implement the periodic password changes to stronger passwords. Please make sure to use the multi-factor authentication for the password manager’s master password.
4. Please make sure that every password used for different services are unique. Using the same password for all accounts will be like presenting a welcome note to the hackers.
5. Ensure that Two-factor authentication is enabled for online services wherever it is available. It will ensure that additional security method such as passcode or notification sent to the smartphone, once the password is entered.
