Securing your business online isn’t as simple as everyone having a password, but without strong passwords across your business, your data is not secure.
Every company is trying their hardest to avoid a data breach, but are you implementing the steps necessary to ensure that all employees have solid passwords that can protect your most serious information?
Never Share Your Password
The first step in password security is to never share your password. This seems easy enough, right? Don’t give your password to anyone who asks for it and your data will remain secure.
While this seems like an obvious first step, the reality is many people are likely to share their password, giving complete access to their files without even realizing it. How many times has a coworker said to just log in as them to get the information you need in a pinch? While this is seemingly harmless, and probably not a cause for concern if their intentions are good, it can also set you up for a total data breach.
Keeping your password a secret even from coworkers and friends just ensures you stay protected.
Investing in a Password Management System
Another way to safeguard your files is to invest in a company password manager like Keeper. Keeper not only keeps your passwords secure but also offers dark web searches, dark web monitoring, and account takeover monitoring.
Password management systems ensure that your passwords are strong and unique, which helps prevent them from being compromised. Also, they offer encryption services so that in the event that your data is breached, the information is just a scrambling of text, unable to be translated by a hacker.
Don’t Reuse Passwords
Another seemingly obvious way to protect yourself and your business is to avoid reusing passwords or to make small changes to passwords that won’t deter anyone. If your last weak password had a one after it, changing it to a two instead of one isn’t going to protect you.
Using the same password for multiple logins is another no-no when it comes to security. While it is convenient because it is easy to remember, this is a prime way to be hacked. Password managers can help securely keep all of your passwords in one place so you don’t’ have to write them down or remember them.
Set Reminders to Change Your Password
Many companies require passwords be changed in intervals of 90 days. Some companies even require passwords be changed as quickly as every 30 days. Whichever works for you, the important thing is to remember to follow through on changing your password when the time is up.
Adding the safeguard of not giving employees a choice and when the time period is up, they are unable to log in until they change their password is another layer of safety for your company.
Don’t Leave Your Computer Unlocked
The absolute easiest way to gain access to your computer and your files is to walk away from your computer without locking it. It is the same as leaving your home wide open while you go on vacation. You are basically inviting someone to take your files. Even if your computer locks after so many seconds, it only takes one quick tap of the mouse before that lock happens and someone else has control.
While we would like to think that our coworkers and business partners and clients are good, honest people, that, unfortunately, is not always the case. You must practice safe security measures at all times to ensure your computer and its files are protected.
Practice Usually Makes Perfect
Hackers are very smart. Much smarter than the average business owner and their intents are to use their technical knowledge to get protected information and use it for their own gain. Keeping them at bay is a continuous practice that must be nearly flawless.
One large data breach can destroy a business. There are significant financial implications that come with a security breach, not to mention the obvious public relations nightmare that follows. Protecting yourself against these breeches is more than a full-time job and you can’t do it alone.
Utilizing a password management system that also monitors the dark webs for any leaked data or company takeovers can greatly protect your business from having to shut down due to a data breach. Additionally, they can implement the password safeguards that your company needs without you having to manually track all of the information yourself.
Business security starts with the simple practice of creating and maintaining good, strong passwords and educating employees on safe computer usage. Password implementation is the first and most important part of online business security and the more your employees understand its importance, the safer your business will be.
