Oops, did not mean to miss it, but it is not too late for a reminder about good password practices.
TechRepublic, in its “On World Password Day, here are 4 tips to keep your online accounts secure” post, reminds us of the following:
Happy World Password Day!
If you weren’t in the know, the first Thursday in May of each year has been officially declared World Password Day—a day to promote good security hygiene and password habits. In 2017, that day has fallen on May 4.
Companies like Dell, AOL, Microsoft Azure, Intel Security, Lenovo, and more are championing the effort, which offers a simple four-step approach to better passwords:
1. Create strong passwords
Strong passwords, according to the World Password Day website, have at least eight characters, with a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letter, numbers, and symbols. They also avoid the use of personal information, such as birthdays or middle names.2. Use a different password for each account
Using a different password for each online account is important because, if you share passwords across accounts, one compromised password can be used to log into another account. This is especially important regarding online banking and financial accounts.3. Get a password manager
Password managers, like LastPass or 1Password for example, can help you store multiple passwords, often in an encrypted manner, for easy access. Typically, they will require one master password with additional layer of authentication to access the stored passwords.4. Turn on multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security on top of your standard password. For example, an app may require you answer a security question, input a unique code, or use a fingerprint scanner on top of using your password. Check the security settings of your favorite apps and passwords to see if multi-factor authentication is available.
