Passwords have long been one of the central pillars of account security on the Internet. Combined with a username, they make up the foundation of most login systems. Because of this, they are a hot commodity for hackers who want to steal credentials and infiltrate accounts or networks. In recent years, however, other security measures have exposed the weakness of poor passwords for security, leading to the adoption of other measures.

While passwords are not as strong as they used to be to protect your online accounts, they are still an important part of your overall security infrastructure. Here are ways that you can make your passwords much more secure.

Use Complex Strings of Characters

One of the big reasons passwords are ineffective much of the time is because people just don’t use secure passwords. They opt for simple strings of characters that are easy to guess, like “password” or “12345678.” Passwords need to be more secure, and they can be through the use of complex strings of characters that include letters (both lower and upper case), numbers, and special characters.

Consider Passphrases

Passphrases are like passwords, but they tick extra security boxes that the password doesn’t. They are easier to remember, for example, while also being difficult to guess. You might take a simple combination of words that have no business being together, then add in numbers and special characters. Hackers will have a hard time guessing them, and you’ll have an easier time remembering your passphrase as a result.

Don’t Use the Same Password Twice

Hackers will often try out passwords that work on multiple different accounts connected to the victim, specifically because reusing passwords is such a common practice. Make sure your passwords are different for all of your accounts.

Change Passwords Frequently

We recommend that you change your passwords every quarter or so, as you never know when a hacker might steal your password and attempt to use it. This also helps you thwart any attempts by hackers to use outdated passwords against you.

Use Additional Solutions to Augment Security

Password management solutions are a great way to take full advantage of complex passwords without the need to remember them all. Some even have password generation capabilities, making your life even easier. You should also use multi-factor authentication in addition to passwords, as it offers additional layers of security through multiple devices and login measures.

Apex Technology can help your business kick start its password practices. Learn more by calling us at (704) 895-0010.