Use These Best Practices to Create Secure Passwords

It’s one thing to implement password security for your business, but another entirely to convince your users that it’s for the best in regards to network security, rather than implementing it as an annoyance to them. Your organization should make using new passwords and best practices as easy as possible to expedite the security process.

Password DOs
Password security doesn’t have to have a nuisance. Here are some of the easiest best practices to follow when building a password.

• The longer the password, the better: Long passwords are better for security than short passwords, but only if the password contains a varied-enough string of characters. You should aim for at least 16 characters.
• Special characters, numbers, and symbols are great for security: A strong password will contain both forms of letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Alphanumerics are ideal: If you’re trying to improve security, use alphanumeric passcodes. Try replacing a lower-case “i” with an exclamation point, or an “a” with the “@” symbol.
• Passphrases work wonders: If you find passwords are hard to remember, a passphrase might help. Use a short phrase that is easier to remember, but difficult to guess. A good example is, “iL0veW@ffle$2much” instead of “ILoveWafflesTooMuch.”
• Password variety is key: It might seem counter-intuitive to use multiple passwords that are difficult to remember, but it’s much more secure to use different passwords for each of your accounts. If the same password is used for each account, all it takes is one breach to expose multiple accounts to risk.

Password DON’Ts
Of course, best practices are more than just what you practice; it also includes what you don’t practice. Here are some pointers.

• Avoid words like “password”: Some of the most common passwords out there include “password” and “notapassword.” You should avoid using these whenever possible, as they are often the first ones to be cracked.
• Avoid key strings like “qwerty”: Strings of characters with consecutive keys, like “qwerty” and “12345678,” should be avoided at all costs.
• Don’t include sensitive information: You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to find sensitive or personal information about an individual--especially if you are the target of a hacker. To make sure a hacker can’t use any information contained in your password against you, avoid using anything like this in your password altogether.

k_Street Consulting, LLC can equip your business with a password manager to improve network security and better manage account passwords. To learn more, reach out to us at (202) 640-2737.