World Password Day 2023

Happy World Password Day! Created by cybersecurity professionals in 2013 and designated as the first Thursday in May, World Password Day is meant to educate about healthy password habits that help keep our information secure. Passwords are not only hard to remember and keep track of but also one of the most common entry points for attackers. According to Microsoft Azure Active Directory authentication log data, there are 921 password attacks every second. And if you ask us, that’s way too many.  

The rise of biometrics and other forms of authentication has made it easy to overlook the importance of passwords.  But they’re still a critical element of our digital security ecosystem, so we’re sharing a few password reminders this holiday to help keep us all safe.

Know what makes a password weak  

Passwords are the gateway to our digital lives, and unfortunately, 12345 as a password just doesn’t cut it. If you want to make sure your password is strong, make sure you’re avoiding the following:  

• Using personal information  

• Writing your password down  

• Using common phrases   

Instead, make your password long. A 12-character password takes 3,428 times longer to crack than a 10-character password.

Don’t reuse passwords

A reused password stolen from one application can be used to break into your other applications. Having one password across all online accounts is alluring because, let’s admit it…we’ve all been locked out of an account after failing to remember the password. While having one password to remember for all accounts seems to make life easier, it increases the risk of your vital online data being compromised simultaneously across different accounts. So, ensure that your logins are unique for every account to avoid having all your accounts become vulnerable.  

Always select Multifactor Authentication  

Wherever possible, use multifactor authentication (MFA) for online accounts. MFA is a security system that requires more than one way of identification before gaining access to an account. It most commonly involves a security code sent to your smartphone or security questions on top of the password.  

Use a Password Manager  

Password Managers create and store random and complex passwords for each account securely, so you don’t need to! All you need to do is remember the master password. When choosing a password manager, ensure it uses multifactor authentication to identify you.  

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to overhaul your password habits and keep yourself protected!